Potts delighted as winning run continues
WHUFC.com
Under-18s boss Steve Potts was pleased to see his team come through a stern
test against Norwich
21.10.2013
Under-18s manager Steve Potts felt his team deserved the points after
beating Norwich City U18 2-0 at Little Heath on Saturday morning. The
Hammers were made to work hard for the opening 70 minutes, before young
Portuguese striker Marcio Martins capped a rare start with a well taken
goal. Kieran Bywater then grabbed his tenth goal in as many games from the
penalty spot in the final minute. After a true footballing battle against
Tottenham Hotspur the previous weekend, Potts knew that Norwich would test
his squad in a completely different way and his team stepped up to the
challenge and got their rewards. "I said to the boys straight after the game
that Norwich bought a completely different test for us compared to the
Tottenham game, but they did really well," said Potts. "Norwich had a game
plan and they were solid, which made it hard for us. "At Tottenham, it was a
free-flowing game that was all about the football, whereas against Norwich
we had to change and mix up our game a little. I think we were definitely
the better team and deserved to win."
Going into the match, the Hammers boss made several changes to the winning
starting eleven against Tottenham in an attempt to rotate the team.
"I just wanted to give some of the other boys a chance and rotate the team,"
he continued. "Marcio came into the side and worked really hard up front and
deservedly capped it with a well taken goal so that was very pleasing. "Ben
Marlow has not long been back from injury and after playing a whole game at
Spurs and a full week's training, he was a little stiff so we decided to
take him off late in the second half, put Josh Cullen in Ben's position and
throw Jerry [Amoo] in. Jerry has the pace to cause problems and did really
well to win the penalty at the end."
Saturday's result took the Hammers' recent winning streak to four games, but
Potts isn't getting carried away and wants his team to continue
concentrating on their performances to give Development Squad manager Nick
Haycock selection problems. "I don't think our recent run changes our
targets for the season at all because I just want the lads to concentrate on
their performance every single week," he added. "Throughout this season, I
have been impressed with the team so they just have to keep it going and the
results will continue to come. "Nick has got the Development Squad going
really well this season and they are raising the bar for us at the moment,
so I am hoping to get some of my boys into that squad."
Back when Potts was a player at West Ham, he recalled seeing a young Mark
Noble performing at a high standard in the Hammers Academy and believes his
players need to look no further that the current first teamer for
inspiration. "If the boys don't want to push on to the next level then there
isn't much point them trying to make a career out of football. The
Development Squad is the next step that they should be looking to then even
onto the first team after that. "I still remember seeing Mark Noble here at
the same age as these lads are now and I think there is no greater example
for the boys to follow than what Mark has done. "They have all made their
starts, so now they have to be looking to push on."
One player looking to take that next step is Under-18s captain Kieran
Bywater, who netted an injury time spot kick on Saturday to take his tally
to ten goals for the season. He is delighted with the way the team is
performing, and as an individual, he hopes to earn his space in Nick
Haycock's Development Squad by the end of the season. He explained:
"Everyone worked hard and the whole team is really happy to win our fourth
game in a row. I'm really happy to get my tenth goal for the season, but
goals are a bonus and everyone played really well and deserved to win.
"Obviously everyone is aiming to play well as a squad every week in the
Under-18s, but as an individual, you're always looking to improve and push
towards the Development Squad. "Last season I played a few games in the
Development Squad and that's where I'm looking at getting to again.
Hopefully by the end of the season I may feature a few times for them."
The Under-18s travel north for their next Barclays U18 Premier League
fixture when they face Middlesbrough on Saturday 26 October.
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Hammers' community spirit
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Community Sports Trust's outreach programme continues to
prove successful
21.10.2013
West Ham United Community Sports Trust's long-established outreach programme
is proving hugely successful. The Trust has partnered with a number of
leading groups and programmes throughout east London to support campaigns
that tackle anti-social behaviour, promote inclusion and inspire
participation through access to elite sport. As part of that long-term and
multi-faceted commitment to prominent community groups, the Trust has the
provision to offer West Ham United tickets at a discounted rate, to enable
individuals allied to those schemes to see top-level football in person.
Flagship inclusion programme Premier League Kicks, Premier League 4 Sport
and Tower Hamlets' Stifford Centre were each invited to take up the offer
for the visit of Manchester City as part of the wider commitment to making
football more accessible to all. This comprises just one element of
long-standing relationships with these initiatives and only participants
were eligible for the discounted tickets. As per the terms of the contracts
with said partners, the tickets were offered at a discounted rate, but
absolutely no tickets were provided free of charge and fans from all
locations, background, race and religion were included.
Stifford Centre manager Salman Alam explained: "This is extremely important
and useful for us to be able to reach out to our members. The partnership
with the Club gives us access that we would not normally be able to offer to
our local community. Football is a powerful tool and we use this to further
engage and inspire our young people and adult members."
Head of West Ham United Community Sports Trust. Joe Lyons, said: "I am
delighted with the success of our community outreach programme and it is
fantastic that West Ham United are leading the way in supporting programmes
that tackle anti-social behaviour and the other issues that affect our
Borough and beyond.
"Our focus is on engaging with our community and making football more
accessible to all and we want everyone from the local area to feel included
at the Club. We are rightly proud of the positive feedback we've received
from the campaign, which is essential for the Club to remain at the heart of
the community. I look forward to welcoming more groups at the selected games
throughout the season."
In addition to this key partnership agreement with Stifford, the Trust has
also joined forces with the Bangladesh Football Association UK. Together, an
agreement has been put in place to sustain a football strategy in Tower
Hamlets, one that comprises of establishing a West Ham United programme of
Bengali and Asian coaching education. This scheme, however, extends far
beyond traditional sport, by harnessing the power of football to engage
individuals through education and employment. Similarly, West Ham United
have relationships with numerous local schools and clubs, as they have done
for many years, that rewards their fantastic support with admission to
certain home fixtures.
Elsewhere, the Premier League Kicks programme continues to thrive, with
their work having proven most successful through the combination of coaching
and access to elite sport. Therefore, the Trust offers sports sessions
across a number of venues across east London at no cost to participants,
alongside the provision for match-day experiences for the young people and
their families at selected games throughout the season. Such schemes are
commonplace among other Premier League clubs and West Ham United are proud
of their work in this area and the outstanding results it produces.
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Wolves 0-2 Development Squad FT
WHUFC.com
Kieran Sadlier and Dan Potts scored the goals as West Ham United's U21s beat
Wolves on Monday
21.10.2013
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS v DEVELOPMENT SQUAD
BARCLAYS UNDER-21 PREMIER LEAGUE
NEW BUCKS HEAD STADIUM
MONDAY 21 OCTOBER 2013
KICK-OFF: 7PM
90 mins: It's all over here at AFC Telford and West Ham United have
triumphed 2-0. Apologies for the technical problems in the final 20 minutes
of the game, we'll have fuller updates on whufc.com shortly.
68 mins: Driver heads forward and it looks for a second as though Lletget
could be in. The keeper is smartly off his line though to smother the ball.
66 mins GOAL: From the resulting corner Potts is able to turn it home! Not
sure where it hit him but i'm sure that's the last of his worries!
65 mins: Potts brings the ball out of defence and with no one in a hurry to
close him down he decides to strike. His shot looks to be going over before
a deflection takes it for a corner.
63 mins: In the absence of Moncur, Sadlier steps up to stirke and just
misses the target with a bullet of a strike.
62 mins: Excellent piece of skill from Cole as he turns away from three
defenders before being hacked down and winning a free-kick on the edge of
the box.
60 mins: Indeed he can't continue and Reid is replaced by Ibrahim Keita.
59 mins: A good spell of possession yields nothing for the Hammers and on
the resulting counter attack the Wolves No9 looks to have pulled a muscle as
he chased down the ball.
57 mins: Spiegel's long clearance has Tombides racing through, the striker
checks back and strikes but his curling effort is just wide.
55 mins: Driver is having a battle on the left side with a pacy winger. This
time he wins the battle and a free-kick to boot.
53 mins: The home side are up in arms screaming for another penalty as Potts
looks as though he took down Reid in the box. Lucky escape.
50 mins: First change of the night for West Ham with Danny Whitehead
replacing George Moncur.
49 mins: It's been a slow start to the half by the visitors with Wolves
clearly keen to impress themselves upon the game more in the second half.
47 mins: Wolves are on the attack straight away and work the ball well
before Whittall strikes. Luckily for the Hammers Ruddock throws himself in
the way of the shot.
46 mins: The Hammers kick us off for the second half looking to secure the
win that would send them back to the top of the league.
Half-time: The corner comes to nothing and the referee ends the first half!
A good showing in atrocious conditions by the young Hammers so far and they
have the lead thanks to a Kieran Sadlier goal after just six minutes. The
left winger turned home a Moncur cross to give his side the perfect start.
Spiegel then came to the visitors rescue with a top class save from an
O'Hara penalty on 29 minutes. The big man got down well to his left to keep
out a good strike. So far, so good.
45+2 mins: An outrageous piece of skill from Tombides sees him pluck the
ball from the heavens and turn to run all in one motion. His skill earns the
Hammers a corner with just seconds remaining.
45 mins: And defend they do as Whittall tries his luck from range.
Fortunately for Spiegel it slams the hoarding just to the left of the goal.
44 mins: The ball boy managed to dodge the wayward shot and now with just a
minute until half-time the Hammers are content to defend.
43 mins: The former Tottenham man does strike it but his shot forces a ball
boy high up in the stand into evasive action as it flies toward him.
42 mins: Sadlier concedes a free-kick in a dangerous position with O'Hara on
the field.
40 mins: Cole nods down and releases Turgott who breaks into the box and
fires his shot just wide of the post.
38 mins: Turgott comes sliding back to try and help clear but insted sends
the ball towards his own goal. Spiegel is there again however and able to
clear.
36 mins: The rain is coming down hard and fast again making it even trickier
to keep control of the ball which so far both teams have managed well.
34 mins: Moncur and Turgott combine to win a corner. The ball in is good but
well cleared and allows the hosts to counter. They go down the right and
deliver a ball in but Turgott is back defending and able to clear.
32 mins: Cole has his first chance of the game as the ball is delivered into
the box but he can only stab it into the ground and watch it trickle wide.
29 mins: Wolves have a chance to equalise from the spot after Driver trips
his winger. O'Hara steps up and thunders it left but Spiegel produces a
magnificent one-handed save to deny him!
28 mins: It's taken short and allows Moncur to hit one, it's hard and low
but the keeper is able to deal with it easily enough.
27 mins: Tombides is set free down the right by a Turgott flick and his
cross is deflected out for a corner.
25 mins: Spiegel is snappy off his line to thwart Reid who's running in
behindand able to win a throw in the process.
24 mins: Turgott again has the chance to run and does so before firing low
across the box but no one is there to meet it.
23 mins: Potts throws himself in the way of a Jakobsson shot to keep the
Hammers ahead. Great defending.
21 mins: Moncur is looking on his game today and when that's the case it
usually spells trouble for his opponents.
20 mins: The rain has finally halted! And it may just prove to be a blessing
as this pitch couldn't take much more.
18 mins: Ruddock shepards the ball out for what he thinks will be a
goal-kick but the linesman has different ideas. From the resulting corner
O'Hara finds Whittall who heads straight at Spiegel.
16 mins: Conditions have made it hard going in the early stages althouh the
away side have coped better and could have been two up with Sadlier again
involved. The left winger can't put his header on target this time after a
chipped cross from Turgott.
14 mins: Carlton Cole looks to be enjoying himself in a West Ham shirt and
has already looked dangerous whilst also letting the keeper know of his
presence with a late challenge.
12 mins: Cranston fires in a shot at the near post and Spiegel puts it
behind from the corner. Turgott then clears off the line after a scramble in
the box, his clearance releases Moncur who is able to burst into the Wolves
half and set-up Tombides who can only sky the ball over the bar.
10 mins: The pitch does Moncur no favours as Sadlier looks to put him in
behind the Wolves defence. He would be clear but for the roll of the ball
which holds in the damp surface.
8 mins: The home side have responded well to going behind and forced Spiegel
into his first save of the evening. O'Hara strikes a right footed curler but
the keeper is equal to it.
6 mins GOAL: Sadlier has got the Hammers off to an absolute flyer! Moncur
breaks into the box and feeds Sadlier who fires home first time to score.
What a start!
5 mins: Turgott gets his first touches down the right side and decides to
cross from deep. The ball in is easy for the defenders to clear however.
3 mins: Driver is back on his feet and looks like he may be able to
continue. Good news for the visitors.
1 min: Callum Driver is on the ground and in need of medical attention after
making a committed challenge on the right midfielder.
Kick-off: Wolves kick us off as the rain continues to fall in the midlands.
6:57 pm: The players have emerged from the tunnel and now undertake the
pre-match formalities before we get this one underway.
6:52 pm: The players are in their respective changing rooms gearing up for
the game as some dance music gets the couple of hundred people in the ground
fired up for the match.
6:45 pm: The rain has eased up slightly as the teams prepare to head to
shelter for their final match preperations. There are plenty of scouts in
attendance keen to cast their eye's over the talent on show.
6:30 pm: Half an hour to go until kick-off and the Hammers are ramping up
their warm-up amidst a back drop of heavy rain which is already having an
affect on the roll of the ball on a very soggy surface. On the up side there
is a lovely waft of chips floating across the ground as the fans drift in.
6:05 pm: The team news is in. A strong line-up for the Hammers tonight as
they look to hand crucial game time to the forward pair of Carlton Cole and
Mladen Petric. Just under an hour to kick off but some pretty dreadful
country music can already be heard ringing out around the New Bucks Head
Stadium.
The Development Squad resume Barclays Under-21 Premier League action tonight
as they travel up to the home of AFC Telford to take on Wolverhampton
Wanderers. The young Hammers have kept themselves busy during the
international break with games against Conference National opposition in the
shape of Luton Town and Cambridge United as they geared up for this clash.
Nick Haycock's side are top of the league having won five of their opening
seven matches suffering only one defeat whilst their opponents occupy eighth
place in the table with three wins, three defeats and one draw to show from
their league matches thus far.
There are some big names on show tonight with a couple of familiar faces on
show for the Hammers. The Wolves backline should be in for a busy night with
Mladen Petirc and Carlton Cole both stepping up their quest for match
fitness with some valuable game time here tonight. The home side will be
looking towards the talents of former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara who
has found himself surplus to requirements of Kenny Jackett's first team.
West Ham United: Spiegel, Chambers, Driver, Potts, Ruddock, Lletget,
Turgott, Moncur, Tombides, Sadlier, Cole
Subs: Fanimo, Baxter, Petric, Whitehead, Lee
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Flatt, Kostrna, Ihiekwe, Tank, Cranston, Bancessi,
Whittall, Jakobsson, Parry, O'Hara, Reid
Subs: Dutton, Kellerman, Keita, Iorfa, Carter, Erdei
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Downing encouraged by second half
WHUFC.com
Hammers winger Stewart Downing took heart from the second half of Saturday's
game against Man City
21.10.2013
Stewart Downing felt that West Ham United could have got something out of
their clash with Manchester City on Saturday, had they performed in the
first half as they did in the second. The Hammers trailed to Sergio Aguero's
16th-minute strike at the break, and only really came to life after the
forward had doubled both his and City's tally six minutes after the restart.
Ricardo Vaz Te's overhead kick kept the game alive and it was not until ten
minutes from time that David Silva made the game safe for Manuel
Pellegrini's me n and Downing was encouraged by the second half performance.
"First and foremost, Man City are a top team," he said. "I thought that in
the first half we maybe showed them a little too much respect, although you
could see in the goal the quality that they have.
"In the second half, we probably left it a bit late, but after the second
goal we started to play and believe in ourselves. That's what will frustrate
the mananger and the players, that we left it too late on Saturday. "We got
plenty of balls into the box in the second half, got a good goal back and I
thought we had the momentum. But then Man City hit us on the break and
scored a quality goal to wrap it up."
Aguero had a hand in all three goals, scoring the first two before laying on
the third for David Silva and Downing thought the attacking pair made the
difference for the visitors. He added: "Aguero is certainly a top player.
Silva was very good too and you can go throughout the team, they're strong.
Look at the bench and the players they can bring on. "We held our own in the
second half and could maybe have got a draw out of it."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bonds: Redknapp was 'disrespectful'
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 21st October 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United legend Billy Bonds MBE has broken a 19-year silence to
express his disappointment at comments made by Harry Redknapp in his new
autobiography.
Bonds, West Ham's record appearance holder - and a man who remains revered
by Hammers supporters - decided to set the record straight after Redknapp
accused his former best friend of being "a man out of time" and of
overseeing "a shambles" during his spell as manager of West Ham in the early
1990s.
West Ham's seventh full-time manager, who was in the post from 1990 to 1994
has never before spoken to the media about Redknapp, who many believe
undermined him in order to secure the managerial position.
But in an exclusive interview with KUMB.com - which you may hear in its
entirely from tomorrow morning - Bonds finally reveals what he truly thinks
about his former best friend and his new book.
"For him to come out with what he said was disrespectful to the players and
one or two of the staff who were over there," Bonds told KUMB.com. "I think
he's been very liberal with the truth - but that's much as I expected
really.
"I haven't spoken to him for 20 years; I find it quite pathetic that he
comes out with stuff [like that] really, to be quite honest with you."
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'Keeper set for six-month layoff
KUM<B.com
Filed: Monday, 21st October 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's Stephen Henderson will be out of action until Spring 2014
after dislocating a shoulder at the weekend. 25-year-old Henderson, who is
currently on loan at Championship side Bournemouth was substituted after
just 13 minutes of Saturday's 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest after colliding
with Forest forward Simon Cox. "When I ran on to the pitch, I knew straight
away it was his shoulder and he was in agony," Cherries physio Steve Hard
told the Daily Echo. "Andrew Balderston, the Nottingham Forest physio, came
on and helped me give him gas and air to get him settled. "We couldn't put
him on a stretcher until he had had some pain relief. The paramedics
supported us and it was a good team effort. Everybody worked together to
help put Stephen at ease. "
Henderson, who made just two appearances for Bournemouth is now set to
return to West Ham where he will recive treatment for the injury - and
possibly surgery too. Talking about the incident, Cherries boss Eddie Howe
said: "Our thoughts are with Stephen. It is a real shame because he has had
to be patient and wait for his chance to come out on loan and get some
football. "He did really well for us against Millwall, so it is a big blow
for him and us." Henderson joined West Ham from Portsmouth in March 2012 for
a nominal fee, but since then has made just two appearances - both in the
League Cup - for Sam Allardyce's first team.
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West Ham manager Sam Allardyce waiting on Andy Carroll's return
Last Updated: October 21, 2013 10:18am
SSN
Sam Allardyce is hoping for an update on Andy Carroll's fitness after a
frustrating start to the season for West Ham United in front of goal.
Carroll has yet to play for the Hammers this term due to a heel injury after
sealing a permanent transfer from Liverpool to Upton Park in the summer.
Allardyce has struggled to replace Carroll and was forced to go into the
game against Tottenham Hotspur before the international break without a
recognised striker. West Ham managed to come away from White Hart Lane with
a surprise 3-0 victory but they lacked an attacking threat in Saturday's 3-1
defeat by Manchester City as Ricardo Vaz Te's goal was one of only two shots
on target. A return date for Carroll has yet to be given but Allardyce
understands he is making good progress and is waiting for further news this
week. "I will be speaking to the specialist on Monday to see whether he can
give us at least a date when he thinks he will be able to come back to us,"
said Allardyce. "He is still improving week by week and is probably due back
with us I would hope. It is very important we get him back as quickly as we
can as I don't want to be continuing to play with no front man."
Allardyce added: "Having got strikers who were not scoring was the only
reason we played that system against Tottenham. "Andy won't play in it. We
bought him to be our leader of the front line. Once he gets fit and up and
running, he will not only score goals but he will create opportunities for
lots of other players to score goals."
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Stephen Henderson could miss six months with dislocated shoulder
Last Updated: October 21, 2013 12:06pm
SSN
Bournemouth's on-loan keeper Stephen Henderson could miss most of the rest
of the season after dislocating his shoulder in the 1-1 draw with Nottingham
Forest on Saturday. Henderson, on loan at the Sky Bet Championship club from
West Ham, was stretchered off inside the opening 10 minutes after an
accidental collision w ith Forest striker Simon Cox. The Irishman was taken
to hospital where a fracture was ruled out by X-rays, but he may still need
surgery and could miss up to six months - he has returned to Upton Park for
further treatment. Cherries physio Steve Hard paid tribute to the medical
staff who aided Henderson in the immediate aftermath of the incident. "When
I ran on to the pitch, I knew straight away it was his shoulder and he was
in agony," Hard told the Daily Echo. "We have a signal we give to the dugout
when we know it is serious and that means I need back up. Andrew Balderston,
the Nottingham Forest physio, came on and helped me give him gas and air to
get him settled. We couldn't put him on a stretcher until he had had some
pain relief. "The paramedics supported us and it was a good team effort.
Everybody worked together to help put Stephen at ease. "I thought the
situation was dealt with very well and, under the circumstances, everything
ran smoothly. I would like to thank everybody who helped."
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Billy Bonds says 'pathetic' Harry Redknapp has been 'very liberal with the
truth' over their West Ham feud
21 Oct 2013 16:46
The Mirror
Billy Bonds has branded Harry Redknapp "pathetic" and "liberal with the
truth" after reigniting their 20-year-old feud. Former West Ham boss and
fans' idol Bonds has not spoken to Redknapp for almost two decades after he
claimed 'Arry had stabbed him in the back. Bonds left the Upton Park club,
after 27 years as a player and manager, in 1994 when Redknapp - who had been
his assistant - took charge of the first team. In his autobiography,
serialised earlier this month Redknapp claimed he was offered Bonds' job
after being approached to return to his old club Bournemouth as boss.
According to Redknapp, Bonds was offered a role as the West Ham director of
football but walked out - and they have not spoken since. But after waiting
20 years to speak his mind, the Hammers legend has broken his silence on
their troubled relationship. Redknapp's memoirs accused 'Bonzo', now 67, of
being a "man out of time" and presiding over a "shambles" - but the QPR
manager will be stung by his former best mate's response. Bonds said: "For
him to come out with what he said was disrespectful to the players and one
or two of the staff who were there. He has been very liberal with the truth
but that's much as I expected. "I haven't spoken to him for 20 years. I find
it quite pathetic that he comes out with stuff like that really."
Such bitterness - in an interview on Hammers fans website Knees Up Mother
Brown (www.kumb.com) - will shatter Redknapp's hopes of patching up their
friendship. Redknapp's book has already put him at odds with players, past
and present, over his recollection of events. 'Arry claimed several senior
England players including Steve Gerrard sent him text messages backing him
to take over as Three Lions coach. Gerrard denies sending Redknapp such a
text. And former Hammers skipper Julian Dicks has also rejected Redknapp's
version of his timekeeping and conforming to dress code.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, October 22
Monday, October 21
Daily WHUFC News - 21st October 2013
Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is hopeful he will have more attacking options in the coming
weeks
20.10.2013
Sam Allardyce is hopeful his attacking options will be bolstered in the
coming weeks with the return to fitness of Carlton Cole. The striker, who
re-signed with the Club last week, is still some way short of full fitness
but was able to sit on the bench for Saturday's 3-1 defeat at home to
Manchester City. Cole has been training hard in his bid to regain match
fitness and Allardyce revealed the striker will be playing a part for the
Development Squad later today when they travel to AFC Telford's ground to
play Wolverhampton Wanderers. He said: "Carlton's had one game, we started
pre-season training on July 1 and spent seven-and-a-half weeks building up
to Cardiff, Carlton's been training with us for three weeks and played one
game behind closed doors. "In pre-season terms he's still four weeks off but
we have to bring that forward as quickly as we possibly can. He'll be
playing in the Under-21s on Monday to get another game. "He's fit now but
he's not match fit and he'll certainly come into the equation for when we
play Burnley because we play Swansea on Sunday and then Burnley on Tuesday."
Big Sam has employed a 4-6-0 formation to good effect in the last two
matches with his tactics yielding a 3-0 at White Hart Lane before putting
Manchester City under pressure for long periods of Saturday's game. Playing
without a front man has worked well in the past two fixtures but the manager
admits that a change of tactic is needed for the forthcoming matches amidst
praise for his players performance against Manuel Pellegrini's team. "I
don't want to continue playing without a front man," Allardyce said.
"Certainly not in games when it's more important to play with a front man.
"It suited us in the last two games but Man City spent £100 million this
summer, Tottenham spent the same, we spent around £20 million and I've got
five free transfers on the pitch and that's the difference at the end of the
day. "We tried our best, the players tried their best but today their best
wasn't good enough against that team and that quality."
Cole is not the only forward who Big Sam hopes will be available in the near
future with Mladen Petric likely to get an opportunity, while Andy Carroll
is recuperating and getting stronger with every passing week. The summer
signing has been a big miss for the Hammers this season and whilst there has
been no timescale put on his return, Allardyce is confident he will have a
big part to play when he does. "He's still in Belgium and improving week by
week," said the manager. "We hope to speak to the specialist on Monday and
hopefully he'll be able to give us a date of when he'll be back with us.
It's very important that we get him back as quick as we can. "Andy is the
main man we bought in the summer to be our leader on the front line, once he
gets fit and up and running again he will not only score goals but also
create opportunities for lots of other players to score goals."
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Pellegrini on...West ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 20th October 2013
By: Staff Writer No. 2
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini shares his thoughts on his side's
first away win of the season...
Manuel, how happy are you at getting your first away win?
Very pleased. The most important thing today was to win the game. We
continued to play in the same was as for other away games. We knew if we
played the same as we did at Villa we would win away. That was the important
thing for me today, To get the win and to play the same way.
How important was it to get that win away today?
Very important! 1 from 9 is not a good average for us. Before we started the
game Chelsea, Arsenal & Everton won their games. We could have lost more
points playing away so three points is vey good important for us.
Aguero's performance was the catalyst for this evening...
Yes he's a top player. He makes an important difference. It was importat for
the team that he didn't play in the second game this week for Aregentina. He
was fresh and that was important.
How did you find it against West Ham's six in the middle this evening...
Well we knew West Ham would try to play in the same way as they did against
Tottenham..They played very well. I told the players to be patient and to
move the ball around until we found the space. We did it very well. West
Ham's goalkeeper was, I think, their best player. He made at least four or
five important saves.
To use that space you need someone like Silva. I thought he was magnificent.
There was nobody near him. He seemed to find that space.
Well he's another top player. He played very well. It is not easy for other
teams to mark Silva. He has the quality to lose that marker. He was another
player that was fresh. That was my first thought about the eleven that
started. To have the maximum amount who were fresh from the international
break.
When west ham got their goal back were you worried at all that nerves might
play a part?
Well of course it's difficult when it's 2-1 and you're playing away. West
Ham had that moment when they had a lot of possession. But when we got the
third goal – all finished.
You've got an important Champions League match coming up on an artificial
pitch. Are you concerned at all bearing in mind what happened in Hong Kong?
We don't know about the condition of the pitch. We hoe that because UEFA are
allowing the game to be played there it is a good pitch. We've just been
thinking about the game we played today. About West Ham. Tomorrow we'll
think about the Champions League.
You changed your whole back four today. Does that show that you won't be
afraid to make changes for the [Champions League] game?
[following a long pause for the interpreter] No today had nothing to do with
the Champions League match. It was as I said Micah Richards was fresh,
Garcia was fresh, Clichy was fresh – he didn't play in the second
international match for France. I'm sorry to repeat myself but that was the
most important reason.
It shows the depth you've got in the squad. That you can leave other players
on the bench.
[Further interpreter pause] Maybe. It's more important that I trust in the
players. At the beginning of the season I spoke with the owners and told
them that we needed a squad with two important players for each position. We
have a lot of matches and we need to have the same quality.
Thank you.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham lining up a bid for prolific Icelandic striker Alfred Finnbogason
20 Oct 2013 22:30
The Mirror
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is ready to shop at Iceland – and bid for
hot-shot striker Alfred Finnbogason. Allardyce sent his chief scout to watch
the prolific marksman notch again for Dutch side Heerenveen against Vitesse
Arnhem on Saturday. Finnbogason has now scored 11 times for his club this
season and has also helped Iceland to the World Cup play-off stage. The
highly-rated forward has been linked with several moves but the Hammers hope
to raise the funds to land him in January. Allardyce has been working
without a top-flight striker all season in the absence of Andy Carroll.
Finnbogason, who grew up in Scotland and has also interested Newcastle, fits
the bill perfectly.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
AFC Bournemouth: Henderson injury could spell premature end to Cherries loan
Daily Echo
6:00am Monday 21st October 2013 in Cherries News Photograph of the Author By
Neil Perrett
LUCKLESS Stephen Henderson looks set for an extended spell on the sidelines
after dislocating his shoulder during Cherries' clash at Nottingham Forest
on Saturday. The goalkeeper, just minutes into his second game of a
three-month loan spell with Cherries, sustained the injury during an
accidental collision with Forest's Simon Cox.
Cox followed in and caught the West Ham man on the left shoulder as the two
players challenged for a loose ball after Henderson had parried a shot from
Djamal Abdoun.
Medical staff from both dugouts immediately rushed to the visibly-distressed
stopper's aid and administered gas and air in an attempt to dull the pain
before he was stretchered off.
Henderson received further pain-killing medication in the treatment room at
the City Ground before he was taken by ambulance to the nearby Queen's
Medical Centre.
The 25-year-old Irishman had his shoulder put back in by doctors after an
X-ray had shown no fracture before Henderson was discharged.
He was then driven by Cherries physio Steve Hard to Cherwell Valley services
where Henderson's wife was waiting to take him back to their home in Essex.
Henderson will be assessed and treated by medical staff at Upton Park and
could be out for up to six months should he require surgery, which looks
increasingly likely.
In the event of Henderson not being fit to feature for Cherries before his
loan expires in January, the Dorset club would ask West Ham to officially
recall him.
Speaking to the Daily Echo last night, Cherries physio Hard said: "When I
ran on to the pitch, I knew straight away it was his shoulder and he was in
agony.
"We have a signal we give to the dugout when we know it is serious and that
means I need back up. Andrew Balderstone, the Nottingham Forest physio, came
on and helped me give him gas and air to get him settled. We couldn't put
him on a stretcher until he had had some pain relief.
"The paramedics supported us and it was a good team effort. Everybody
worked together to help put Stephen at ease. I thought the situation was
dealt with very well and everything ran smoothly, under the circumstances. I
would like to thank everybody who helped."
Asked about the incident during his post-match press conference, Cherries
boss Eddie Howe said: "It was a tough moment for us. If you lose your
goalkeeper early in a game away from home, it can rock you. Thankfully, we
dealt with it okay but our thoughts are with Stephen.
"It is a real shame because he has had to be patient and wait for his chance
to come out and get some football. He did really well for us against
Millwall so it is a big blow for him and us."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is hopeful he will have more attacking options in the coming
weeks
20.10.2013
Sam Allardyce is hopeful his attacking options will be bolstered in the
coming weeks with the return to fitness of Carlton Cole. The striker, who
re-signed with the Club last week, is still some way short of full fitness
but was able to sit on the bench for Saturday's 3-1 defeat at home to
Manchester City. Cole has been training hard in his bid to regain match
fitness and Allardyce revealed the striker will be playing a part for the
Development Squad later today when they travel to AFC Telford's ground to
play Wolverhampton Wanderers. He said: "Carlton's had one game, we started
pre-season training on July 1 and spent seven-and-a-half weeks building up
to Cardiff, Carlton's been training with us for three weeks and played one
game behind closed doors. "In pre-season terms he's still four weeks off but
we have to bring that forward as quickly as we possibly can. He'll be
playing in the Under-21s on Monday to get another game. "He's fit now but
he's not match fit and he'll certainly come into the equation for when we
play Burnley because we play Swansea on Sunday and then Burnley on Tuesday."
Big Sam has employed a 4-6-0 formation to good effect in the last two
matches with his tactics yielding a 3-0 at White Hart Lane before putting
Manchester City under pressure for long periods of Saturday's game. Playing
without a front man has worked well in the past two fixtures but the manager
admits that a change of tactic is needed for the forthcoming matches amidst
praise for his players performance against Manuel Pellegrini's team. "I
don't want to continue playing without a front man," Allardyce said.
"Certainly not in games when it's more important to play with a front man.
"It suited us in the last two games but Man City spent £100 million this
summer, Tottenham spent the same, we spent around £20 million and I've got
five free transfers on the pitch and that's the difference at the end of the
day. "We tried our best, the players tried their best but today their best
wasn't good enough against that team and that quality."
Cole is not the only forward who Big Sam hopes will be available in the near
future with Mladen Petric likely to get an opportunity, while Andy Carroll
is recuperating and getting stronger with every passing week. The summer
signing has been a big miss for the Hammers this season and whilst there has
been no timescale put on his return, Allardyce is confident he will have a
big part to play when he does. "He's still in Belgium and improving week by
week," said the manager. "We hope to speak to the specialist on Monday and
hopefully he'll be able to give us a date of when he'll be back with us.
It's very important that we get him back as quick as we can. "Andy is the
main man we bought in the summer to be our leader on the front line, once he
gets fit and up and running again he will not only score goals but also
create opportunities for lots of other players to score goals."
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Pellegrini on...West ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 20th October 2013
By: Staff Writer No. 2
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini shares his thoughts on his side's
first away win of the season...
Manuel, how happy are you at getting your first away win?
Very pleased. The most important thing today was to win the game. We
continued to play in the same was as for other away games. We knew if we
played the same as we did at Villa we would win away. That was the important
thing for me today, To get the win and to play the same way.
How important was it to get that win away today?
Very important! 1 from 9 is not a good average for us. Before we started the
game Chelsea, Arsenal & Everton won their games. We could have lost more
points playing away so three points is vey good important for us.
Aguero's performance was the catalyst for this evening...
Yes he's a top player. He makes an important difference. It was importat for
the team that he didn't play in the second game this week for Aregentina. He
was fresh and that was important.
How did you find it against West Ham's six in the middle this evening...
Well we knew West Ham would try to play in the same way as they did against
Tottenham..They played very well. I told the players to be patient and to
move the ball around until we found the space. We did it very well. West
Ham's goalkeeper was, I think, their best player. He made at least four or
five important saves.
To use that space you need someone like Silva. I thought he was magnificent.
There was nobody near him. He seemed to find that space.
Well he's another top player. He played very well. It is not easy for other
teams to mark Silva. He has the quality to lose that marker. He was another
player that was fresh. That was my first thought about the eleven that
started. To have the maximum amount who were fresh from the international
break.
When west ham got their goal back were you worried at all that nerves might
play a part?
Well of course it's difficult when it's 2-1 and you're playing away. West
Ham had that moment when they had a lot of possession. But when we got the
third goal – all finished.
You've got an important Champions League match coming up on an artificial
pitch. Are you concerned at all bearing in mind what happened in Hong Kong?
We don't know about the condition of the pitch. We hoe that because UEFA are
allowing the game to be played there it is a good pitch. We've just been
thinking about the game we played today. About West Ham. Tomorrow we'll
think about the Champions League.
You changed your whole back four today. Does that show that you won't be
afraid to make changes for the [Champions League] game?
[following a long pause for the interpreter] No today had nothing to do with
the Champions League match. It was as I said Micah Richards was fresh,
Garcia was fresh, Clichy was fresh – he didn't play in the second
international match for France. I'm sorry to repeat myself but that was the
most important reason.
It shows the depth you've got in the squad. That you can leave other players
on the bench.
[Further interpreter pause] Maybe. It's more important that I trust in the
players. At the beginning of the season I spoke with the owners and told
them that we needed a squad with two important players for each position. We
have a lot of matches and we need to have the same quality.
Thank you.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham lining up a bid for prolific Icelandic striker Alfred Finnbogason
20 Oct 2013 22:30
The Mirror
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is ready to shop at Iceland – and bid for
hot-shot striker Alfred Finnbogason. Allardyce sent his chief scout to watch
the prolific marksman notch again for Dutch side Heerenveen against Vitesse
Arnhem on Saturday. Finnbogason has now scored 11 times for his club this
season and has also helped Iceland to the World Cup play-off stage. The
highly-rated forward has been linked with several moves but the Hammers hope
to raise the funds to land him in January. Allardyce has been working
without a top-flight striker all season in the absence of Andy Carroll.
Finnbogason, who grew up in Scotland and has also interested Newcastle, fits
the bill perfectly.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
AFC Bournemouth: Henderson injury could spell premature end to Cherries loan
Daily Echo
6:00am Monday 21st October 2013 in Cherries News Photograph of the Author By
Neil Perrett
LUCKLESS Stephen Henderson looks set for an extended spell on the sidelines
after dislocating his shoulder during Cherries' clash at Nottingham Forest
on Saturday. The goalkeeper, just minutes into his second game of a
three-month loan spell with Cherries, sustained the injury during an
accidental collision with Forest's Simon Cox.
Cox followed in and caught the West Ham man on the left shoulder as the two
players challenged for a loose ball after Henderson had parried a shot from
Djamal Abdoun.
Medical staff from both dugouts immediately rushed to the visibly-distressed
stopper's aid and administered gas and air in an attempt to dull the pain
before he was stretchered off.
Henderson received further pain-killing medication in the treatment room at
the City Ground before he was taken by ambulance to the nearby Queen's
Medical Centre.
The 25-year-old Irishman had his shoulder put back in by doctors after an
X-ray had shown no fracture before Henderson was discharged.
He was then driven by Cherries physio Steve Hard to Cherwell Valley services
where Henderson's wife was waiting to take him back to their home in Essex.
Henderson will be assessed and treated by medical staff at Upton Park and
could be out for up to six months should he require surgery, which looks
increasingly likely.
In the event of Henderson not being fit to feature for Cherries before his
loan expires in January, the Dorset club would ask West Ham to officially
recall him.
Speaking to the Daily Echo last night, Cherries physio Hard said: "When I
ran on to the pitch, I knew straight away it was his shoulder and he was in
agony.
"We have a signal we give to the dugout when we know it is serious and that
means I need back up. Andrew Balderstone, the Nottingham Forest physio, came
on and helped me give him gas and air to get him settled. We couldn't put
him on a stretcher until he had had some pain relief.
"The paramedics supported us and it was a good team effort. Everybody
worked together to help put Stephen at ease. I thought the situation was
dealt with very well and everything ran smoothly, under the circumstances. I
would like to thank everybody who helped."
Asked about the incident during his post-match press conference, Cherries
boss Eddie Howe said: "It was a tough moment for us. If you lose your
goalkeeper early in a game away from home, it can rock you. Thankfully, we
dealt with it okay but our thoughts are with Stephen.
"It is a real shame because he has had to be patient and wait for his chance
to come out and get some football. He did really well for us against
Millwall so it is a big blow for him and us."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, October 20
Daily WHUFC News - 20th October 2013
Aguero double downs Hammers
WHUFC.com
Sergio Aguero's double helped Manchester City defeat West Ham United 3-1 on
Saturday
19.10.2013
West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United were unable to prevent Manchester City from recording their
first away Barclays Premier League win of the season on Saturday evening.
Ricardo Vaz Te's 58th minute overhead kick gave them hope of overturning a
two-goal deficit to Sergio Aguero's brace either side of half-time, but City
always seemed to have the edge and sealed a 3-1 victory with a David Silva
goal. There were still positives to take for the Hammers, who did not allow
the game to run away from them as it could have done at 2-0, and forced City
onto the back foot for a spell around Vaz Te's strike.The visitors showed
their strength in seeing off the hosts, however, as they moved into the top
four, Ravel Morrison had the Boleyn Ground crowd on its feet with a spin
away from Yaya Toure on 14 minutes. He laid off to Mark Noble, who found
Mohamed Diame, and his swerving shot faded away and past Joe Hart's far
post. A minute later Manchester City went on the attack and Winston Reid cot
caught on the wrong side of Alvaro Negredo as the ball was played into him
inside the area, but the New Zealander recovered to tackle. However, the
Hammers did not heed the warning and they found themselves behind a minute
later when Negredo cleverly let Fernandinho's pass run through his legs and
into Aguero, who was suddenly in the clear and he kept his calm to roll
beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen and into the far corner. Three minutes later
Augero was presented with a great chance to double the tally when Negredo
leapt highest to nod David Silva's dink into the box back to the
Argentinean, but his shot was directed straight at Jaaskelainen.
City seemed to have a greater intensity about them and Negredo showed huge
desire to dispossess James Tomkins on the edge of his own box on 32 minutes
before dragging a left-footed shot past the far post. West Ham's moments of
threat before the break were limited, although with 40 minutes played Micah
Richards and Javi Garcia combined strongly to block a Vaz Te header
following Stewart Downing's right wing cross. At the other end Jaaskelainen
had to tip a Toure scorcher over the top and City did not have to wait too
long after the interval to stretch their advantage. The simplicity of the
51st minute goal would have annoyed Hammers boss Sam Allardyce as Aguero was
left all alone to nod Silva's left wing free kick into the top left corner
of the net. West Ham found that the best way to stem the tide was to go on
the attack themselves and they were right back in the contest just seven
minutes later. Vaz Te bagged his second goal in as many games, improvising
well to acrobatically volley home after Downing and Ravel Morrison had done
well to keep a Razvan Rat cross alive at the far post.
The game had a great tempo about it at this stage and the lively Negredo
almost restored his team's two-goal advantage just past the hour, but his
angled shot crashed against the bar and to safety. Shortly afterwards
Jaaskelainen was at full stretch to deny Aguero his hat trick, but City
could not be contained as an attacking threat and they made sure of the
points ten minutes from time. Silva was the goalscorer, sidestepping Reid
and firing home after Aguero made the space in the area to back heel to his
teammate. The goal gave the visitors a healthy cushion as they entered the
closing stages and the Hammers were unable to come again.
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen; Deme (O'Brien 65), Tomkins, Reid, Rat; Nolan
(Petric 82), Noble, Diame; Downing, Morrison, Vaz Te (Jarvis 65)
Subs: Adrian, Taylor, C.Cole, J.Cole
Goal: Vaz Te 58
Booked: Noble
Manchester City: Hart; Richards, Garcia, Nastasic, Clichy; Nasri (Milner
74), Toure, Fernandinho, Silva; Negredo (Kolarov 65), Aguero (Jovetic 82)
Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Lescott, Dzeko
Goals: Aguero 16, 51, Silva 80
Booked: Silva, Nastasic
Referee: Michael Oliver
Attendance: 34,907
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Under-18s down Canaries
WHUFC.com
The Hammers' Under-18s bagged a fourth successive league victory with this
2-0 win over Norwich City
19.10.2013
West Ham United Under-18s made it four wins in four in the Barclays U18
Premier League, as they downed Norwich City 2-0 at Little Heath on Saturday.
A tight game for the most-part remained goalless until the 70th minute, when
Portuguese striker Marcio Martins popped up to fire the Hammers in front.
Then, in the final minute, Jerry Amoo's long run, from his own half into the
penalty area, earned the hosts a spot-kick as he was felled. Skipper Kieran
Bywater stepped up, confidently dispatching the penalty to notch his tenth
goal of the season.
Manager Steve Potts made several changes to the side that defeated Tottenham
Hotspur last weekend with Amoo, Sam Baxter, Jordan Brown, Emmanuel Onariase
and Djair Parfitt-Williams the men to drop out, while returning England U18
internationals Reece Burke and Kyle Knoyle, along with Martins, Nathan
Mavila and 'keeper Sam Howes earned a recall. The game started slowly and
the closest either side came to a goal in the first quarter of an hour were
two overhead kicks from Martins, neither of which posed a great threat to
Lloyd Thomas in the Norwich goal. Shortly afterwards, West Ham were
appealing for a penalty, when Bywater was upended, only for the referee to
award a free-kick right on the edge of the box. Uncharacteristically for
Bywater, the resulting free-kick was fired straight into the wall. West Ham
continued to press and might have broken the deadlock when Moses Makasi's
effort from 18 yards was parried by Thomas, before Mavila curled his low
strike round the far post. The best chance of the first half, however, fell
to Norwich's Jake Simpson, who found himself one-on-one with Howes, but
snatched at the chance and sliced over the crossbar. After the break, Lewis
Page almost scooped a clearance from a Norwich corner straight into the top
corner of his own net, but 'keeper Howes did brilliantly to claw the ball
away from the top corner. The Hammers, meanwhile, were much improved and
had three strikes on goal, but neither Martins, Knoyle or Mavila could make
the most of promising situations. The deadlock was eventually broken with 70
minutes on the clock, with Martins confidently slotting into the bottom left
corner of the net, having been played in by Bywater. Then, as Norwich looked
to grab an equaliser from a late corner, the ball was cleared into Amoo, who
collected inside his own half and looked to be headed for the corner flag.
Having run in excess of 50 yards, Amoo surged toward goal, prompting
Canaries defender Ben Burgess to concede a last-gasp penalty. It was Bywater
who stepped up to take it and did so confidently, taking his tally for the
season to an astonishing ten goals in ten games. Steve Potts' Academy outfit
will look to stretch their winning streak to five, when they head north to
take on Middlesbrough U18s on Saturday 26 October at 11am.
West Ham United Under-18s: Howes, Knoyle, Girdlestone, Burke, Page, Cullen,
Marlow (Amoo), Makasi, Mavila, Bywater, Martins.
Subs not used: Nemrava, Bailey, Onariase, Brown.
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'We had a good go'
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble believes West Ham United can hold their heads high, despite
losing at home to Manchester City
20.10.2013
Mark Noble believes West Ham United could not have given any more in
Saturday's 3-1 Barclays Premier League defeat by big-spending Manchester
City.
The Hammers slipped to their third straight league defeat at the Boleyn
Ground courtesy of two goals from Sergio Aguero and an outstanding clincher
from David Silva. Following Aguero's double. West Ham rallied and got back
into the game when Ricardo Vaz Te volleyed in with more than half-an-hour to
go, but Noble conceded that the Londoners had been beaten by the better side
overall. "We had a good go in the second half," Noble told West Ham TV. "We
had a couple of half-chances in the first half, too, where if the ball had
dropped or we could have bundled it in, we could have gone ahead. "They were
a couple of great pieces of skill by Aguero. Against those sort of teams you
have to ride your luck and they scored a couple of great goals and we got
beaten by the better team in the end."
After starting the match in the same 4-6-0 formation that secured a
sensational 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in their previous fixture, the
Hammers were forced to go on the offensive when Aguero put City two goals
clear six minutes after half-time. For the next 20 minutes, with the
full-backs and wingers pushing on and Ravel Morrison, Kevin Nolan and
Mohamed Diame pressuring City's makeshift central defenders, West Ham
repeatedly knocked on the door. However, the ball just wouldn't drop to a
home player inside the City penalty area, allowing Silva to settle matters
at the end of fine move that also involved Yaya Toure and Aguero. "Me and
Nobby said it on the pitch when they scored their second goal that we were
going to push Ravel and Mo up and I think the Gaffer told them to get up and
pressure their back four and it seemed to work a little bit better. "We got
a foothold in the game and got a goal and it could have gone either way. As
it was, it was a great piece of skill from Aguero and David Silva that
finished us off."
In the final analysis, Noble conceded that City's expensively-assembled
squad had just had too much, but pointed out that West Ham supporters
recognised the effort put in by their team. "Manchester City did play well
but that's what you should expect when you spend £300 million. We didn't
embarrass ourselves and the fans could see that because they clapped us off
the pitch and we had a good go. "Sometimes against the top, top teams you
need a bit of luck but we never got that and we got beaten by the better
team."
Looking forward, West Ham will look to continue their fine away form - one
defeat and one goal conceded in four league matches - at Swansea City next
Sunday. There, Noble and company will be eager to erase the memory of last
season's 3-0 reverse at the Liberty Stadium, while also seeking to pick up
much-needed points as the first quarter of the season draws to a close. "The
thing is, we came off a great result against Spurs and although we lost on
Saturday, we can go into the game confident. We've been playing well in all
the games this season, apart from Stoke. "We've given a good account of
ourselves otherwise and we'll give it a good go."
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Big Sam's birthday blues
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce reflects on Saturday's Barclays Premier League defeat at home
to Manchester City
19.10.2013
Sam Allardyce lamented West Ham United's uncharacteristically charitable
defending as Manchester City ran out 3-1 winners at the Boleyn Ground to
dampen the manager's birthday celebrations. Sergio Aguero twice escaped the
attention of the Hammers' defenders to put the visitors two goals to the
good, and though Ricardo Vaz Te's acrobatic effort halved the deficit, David
Silva's tidy finish wrapped up the points with 80 minutes on the clock.
While Manchester City were excellent on the day, Big Sam was nevertheless
disappointed in the manner of the visitors' first two goals.
He told West Ham TV: "It's a miserable birthday for me, because the only
thing you want for your birthday is a good, positive result. But we didn't
get that and unfortunately, when you play a side of Manchester City's
quality, we need to hit top form.
"I don't think we set the tempo high enough at the beginning, and,
Manchester City, with their quality, got the ball down and kept it, passed
it and passed it until they got through us. It made life very difficult for
us. When we did win it again, we didn't pass it properly ourselves, we gave
it back to them.
"So they were controlling the tempo and then we made, unfortunately, a
howler of an error for the first goal. Just a straight little ball down the
middle and unfortunately neither of our centre-halves dealt with it, which
is very unusual for them. And you don't give Aguero a one-on-one with the
goalie. Very rarely does he miss and he puts it in.
"Not only did we do that, we did exactly the wrong thing on a free-kick six
minutes into the second half. So the first half was very disappointing,
apart from Jussi, who kept us in the game with some outstanding saves."
At the other end of the pitch, Big Sam conceded that his men had failed to
give England stopper Joe Hart enough to worry about, in the knowledge that
the 26-year-old had endured one or two difficult moments in recent weeks.
That said, the Hammers boss could, at least, take some solace in his side's
response to going two goals down.
He continued: "We had a few fleeting moments in the opposition's box, but we
didn't test Joe Hart enough by hitting the target, which I tried to insist
on before the game. He has made one or two errors, as we know, and we needed
to find out whether there was any nervous edge there.
"We certainly didn't hit the target enough to find that out and he did make
one outstanding save at 2-1 when we got through with Mo Diame's one-on-one.
"It was disappointing up until we went 2-0 down and then we showed a bit of
spirit, a bit of fight and a little bit of quality, at last. We scored a
very good goal and looked like we might actually get a result out of it. In
the end, we didn't score again in that spell and Manchester City scored a
very good third goal. I can't criticise the lads too much for that one, but
we'd already gifted them two."
Even in defeat, Big Sam pointed to the stand-out performances of Jussi
Jaaskelainen and Stewart Downing, though he acknowledged that too few of his
men were able to replicate their heroics at White Hart Lane.
"Stewart Downing was very, very good, and, like I said, Jussi too. But the
rest of the team never hit the same heights as they did at Tottenham, and
that's my big disappointment.
"For me, you can talk about systems, but at the end of the day, the players
have to play their best within the system that you pick and then it works.
It would always have to be the best performances from the XI out there to
compete against Manchester City and then see what happens. Unfortunately, we
didn't and Man City, on top of that, were very, very good as well."
Casting an eye toward next Sunday's trip to Swansea City, Big Sam knows
exactly what he expects of his side, namely a performance akin to the one
produced at Tottenham Hotspur.
"Certainly the last away performance at Tottenham is something we have to
try to emulate at Swansea. They've eventually won, having not won at home
for a very long time, against Sunderland.
"So we have to go there with a positive attitude and say to the players, I
want you to perform like you did at Tottenham and if you do that, you're
going to give Swansea a hell of a game and will get the chances to win the
game. Because Swansea, as good as they are, are not as good as Tottenham, so
if we get to that level, we'll get the opportunity. Whether we take it or
not will be a different matter."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
On this day - 20 October
WHUFC.com
The Hammers struck four on a profitable away day for the club in 1984
20.10.2013
Classic match
Stoke City 2-4 West Ham United
Division One
20 October 1984
Four different scorers saw the Hammers record a good away win at the
Victoria Ground on this day in 1984. Paul Allen, Paul Goddard, Tony Cottee
and an own goal from Stoke's George Berry saw the away side to victory in a
six goal thriller. The Hammers went on to finish the season in 16th place
whilst the Potters were relegated after finishing bottom of the league.
Complete record - 20 October
1923 Chelsea 0-0 West Ham United (Division One)
1928 West Ham United 2-4 Everton (Division One)
1934 West Ham United 2-0 Swansea Town (Division Two)
1951 Birmingham City 2-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
1956 Bristol Rovers 1-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
1973 Coventry City 0-1 West Ham United (Division One)
1971 Leeds United 0-1 West Ham United (League Cup)
1979 West Ham United 1-2 Luton Town (Division Two)
1984 Stoke City 2-4 West Ham United (Division One)
1990 Swindon Town 0-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
2001 West Ham United 2-0 Southampton (Premier League)
2012 West Ham United 4-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Played 12, Won 7, Drawn 2, Lost 3, Scored 20, Conceded 12
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ladies to make do without Little
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies midfielder Stacey Little has been ruled out with a
long-term ankle injury
19.10.2013
Last weekend, West Ham United Ladies' title hopes took another hit with a
disappointing 4-1 FA Women's Premier League defeat at Keynsham Town Ladies.
One player who unfortunately had to sit out of that game is midfielder
Stacey Little, who suffered an ankle injury during a league meeting with
Spurs a fortnight ago, which could see her ruled out for the rest of the
season. That was tough news for the hard-working and dedicated 26-year-old
to take.
"I took a couple of heavy tackles to my ankle," Little explained. "I played
on after the first tackle in a lot of pain but the second tackle finished me
off. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to play on, I just couldn't. I later
found out I had chipped a bone in my ankle. "When I got the news, I was
fighting back the tears, which will explain how devastated I was. Even more
so, as I feel that I was having one of my best seasons so far."
While Little will not be on the pitch, she will be cheering her team-mates
on when they attempt to return to winning ways at Gillingham on Sunday, with
kick-off at Chatham Town FC at 2pm. Little's footballing career started on
the playground playing against the boys, before she joined her local team
Hatfield Youth.
"I never really started playing football until I joined Hatfield Youth. I
used to play with the boys at primary school at break time but that's as
serious as it got really. "Hatfield Youth were my local team. For me, at
that age, I suppose it was just a way for me to learn more about the basics
of the game."
Before long, Little found herself being advised to take a step up to a
higher level and, despite never being part of an Academy, she joined Queens
Park Rangers. "For years I have been told that I should be playing at a
higher level but I've never had the self-confidence for it. I don't know
that made me take the step, but one day I just thought I'd try it and see if
I was good enough and how I got on. "My inspiration has always been my Dad.
He was always there to drive me to games and is always honest with me
whether I have played well or not. Even now, he is still trying to teach me
a thing or two. "I never went to the Academy of any club as I didn't know
much about them when I was younger. However, I wish I had because I think
that they would have developed me more as a player. "My Dad was working with
a girl at the time that had previously played for QPR and she arranged a
trial for me. It was an easy decision for me to join them as they were at a
decent level of women's football for me to test myself."
Little's time at QPR helped her develop as a player as she was being coached
by more experienced coaches and playing against better teams, but she became
unhappy and decided to move to Charlton Ladies. "The best thing about my
time at QPR was experience at a whole. The level of football was new to me
and it was a chance for me to play with better players and learn new things
from the coaches and players around me to better myself. "I was unhappy at
QPR and was looking for a new club. At the time, Charlton had withdrew all
the funding from their women's team and lost all their players so were
starting from scratch with no players. "When I joined Charlton, they were in
the Women's Premier League playing against the likes of Arsenal, Everton and
Liverpool so again this was another massive step up for me. "Our manager,
Paul Mortimer, was an ex-professional footballer so he was very experienced
when it comes to the tactical side of the game as well as the physical
attributes needed."
In 2010, Little again decided to move on and there was only one team that
she wanted to move to. "I just felt the need to move on from Charlton to a
new team and new challenge and for me, the only team that I had in mind was
West Ham. "It was a little surreal when I joined West Ham Ladies but it was
a very proud moment for me and my family to put on that shirt for the first
time and play for the club I love."
Little is now in her fourth season with West Ham and looking back over her
career, she believes that her main growth as a footballer has been her
self-confidence. "I have developed as a footballer massively over the years.
When I look back from when I started at QPR to where I am now, my confidence
has been the main factor of my growth as a player. "This confidence came
from the start of my time at West Ham. It was Julia Setford that gave me the
opportunity and believed in my ability when I joined and I am forever
grateful to her for that."
Since getting injured during the 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, Little
is trying to keep positive, but is taking the news that she may not play
again badly as she was planning for this season to be her last. "Although
the boyfriend is trying to remain positive for me, it's very hard for me to
stay positive in all honesty. "I was planning on this to be my last season
and now it's been cut short and I'm unsure whether I'll feature again at all
this season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 1 Man City 3
19 October 2013
Last updated at 19:56
By Chris Bevan
BBC Sport
Sergio Aguero scored twice as Manchester City saw off West Ham to go fourth
in the Premier League. City tore through the middle of the Hammers' defence
for their opener, with Alvaro Negredo leaving Fernandinho's pass for Aguero
to calmly slot home. Aguero made it 2-0 with a header from David Silva's
free-kick but Vaz Te replied with an acrobatic strike. That set up a tense
finish, until Silva found the top corner to seal City's first away league
win of the season.
City's form on the road has been the biggest concern for new manager Manuel
Pellegrini this season, and they badly needed a solid display in the first
of four successive away games in the league, Champions League and League
Cup. This was the third time that Sergio Aguero has scored more than once
away from home in a Premier League away match - he also scored twice in the
2-2 draw at Fulham on 18 September 2011 and 14 April 2012 - when he scored
two in the 6-1 win at Norwich.
They began strongly in east London, establishing a platform in midfield and
controlling that area of the pitch. West Ham were chasing shadows and City's
slick movement and passing saw them take an early lead through Aguero, who
galloped clear unopposed after 16 minutes. That was only the second goal
West Ham have conceded in open play in the Premier League this season, but
Sam Allardyce's side were looking vulnerable every time City came at them.
Aguero made space for another shot that just eluded Silva after squirming
out of Jussi Jaaskelainen's grasp, while the Hammers keeper did well to keep
out a curling Yaya Toure shot after a mistake by Winston Reid. The home
side, who were again operating without an out-and-out striker, did enjoy
spells of pressure too but they lacked a cutting edge when they put the ball
into the box and ended the first half without managing a shot on target.
Things got bleaker for West Ham after the break when Aguero met Silva's
free-kick with a pin-point near-post header - his first in the Premier
League - to double City's lead. But the Hammers responded with their best
spell of the match, culminating with Vaz Te's overhead kick after Ravel
Morrison had hooked the ball back into the danger zone.
City had gone ahead in both of their away Premier League defeats this
season, and their lead looked fragile again as West Ham bombarded their box
with crosses and free-kicks. This time, however, there was a different
outcome.
In contrast to their displays in defeats at Cardiff and Aston Villa,
Pellegrini's side kept their defensive discipline, and got their reward at
the other end too.
Negredo could have settled City's nerves when he slammed an angled shot
against the underside of the bar, while Jaaskelainen had to be alert to keep
out efforts from Aguero and Aleksandar Kolarov. Instead it was down to Silva
to put the game beyond West Ham's reach. He met Aguero's clever backheel on
the edge of the area to curl an unstoppable shot into the top corner and
ensure City embark on their next trip, to CSKA Moscow in the Champions
League on Wednesday, on the back of a win.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce: "City were very, very good. Because they were
so good we could not get near our best. "The lads had a right go after going
2-0 down. Before that, we were nowhere near our best. We had to be at our
best, and they had to have an off day, for us to beat them. "For the size,
power and money they have, we could not live with them today. It showed at
times. "We could have felt sorry for ourselves and lost 4-0, but we made a
spirited comeback. We did not find the form we had at Tottenham. It did not
work today. The lads did not apply themselves as well."
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini: "Winning the game was the most
important thing for us. We played very well, and the best player for West
Ham was their goalkeeper. "We played as well as we did against Aston Villa
[when City lost 3-2]. Someone asked me if I needed to change the way we
played away, and I do not think so. "This team should always play in
attacking way because of the players we have. "We were absolutely sure
playing the way we were, we would win away. We lost against Cardiff and
Aston Villa, but football is like that."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce on... Manchester City
KUMB,com
Filed: Saturday, 19th October 2013
By: Staff Writer
Big Sam was understandably disappointed by a third home defeat of the season
- whilst admitting that his team were distinctly second best...
Sam: I thought you gave it a good go today, especially after the second
goal?
Too late though, wasn't it. That's the problem. Manchester City were better
than us today. If we were to get a result then I've always said that you
have to play your very best - but sometimes the opposition don't allow you
to do that.
We came out of the traps hoping we could set the tempo but what happened is
that Manchster City decided they would, what with the quality of their
players. When you get the front two and Yaya Toure passing the ball like
they did it frightened us a little bit, put us on the back foot.
The sad thing was, even after all of that, when they got through our
goalkeeper was magnificent today - but then we made two basic errors for two
goals, rather than the quality of Aguero, Negredo or Silva putting the ball
in the back of the net with great, fluent moves.
A simple ball down the middle for the first goal and somebody not picking
the smallest man in Man City up on the second goal was really disappointing
for us. So gifting the two to them was something that you don't really
expect to come back from against a team of their quality.
But we gave it a go, and at least I was pleased with the response the lads
showed in not giving up and fighting right until the end. And, of course,
when we got back to 2-1 with a good goal that we scored we showed a little
bit more of the passing qualities that had failed us in the first half.
The constant passing back to our players and the opposition regaining
possession was the reason we didn't look anything like we did at Tottenham
two weeks ago. So really our only contribution from an attacking point of
view was 20, 25 minutes - but that was after Manchester City were already
2-0 up and that was too late.
Was James Collins maybe the most important missing element out there today?
No,
I don't think so. We played with James Tomkins and got a clean sheet against
Tottenham so I think whether it's James Collins or James Tomkins, the
quality of Negredo and Aguero was outstanding. The quality of their runs
with Yaya Toure and David Silva passing it to them. But, even when they
pierced our defence Jussi was there to save us today.
It wasn't the quality of the first goal, it was a huge mistake by our
defence and a good finish. But it wasn't really quality the second goal, it
was a huge mistake by us letting him have a free header seven yards out. To
be fair to him he's put both of them away pretty well but for him they
weren't difficult finishes because he didn't have any pressure on him.
What's the news on Guy Demel, who was substituted in the second half?
He's okay; it's just a dead leg.
Thank you.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sergio Aguero scores two as Manchester City beat West Ham
Last Updated: October 20, 2013 9:13am
SSN
Sergio Aguero scored two and set up a third as Manchester City climbed into
the top four of the Premier League with a 3-1 victory against West Ham at
Upton Park. The opening goal came in the 16th minute when Fernandinho's
slide-rule pass was allowed to run by Alvaro Negredo, putting the West Ham
defence on their heels and giving Aguero the opportunity to ghost into the
box and finish with aplomb beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Best of the match:
Man of the match: Sergio Aguero can be the only winner after scoring two and
setting up David Silva for the third.
Goal of the match: Aguero's opener was excellent. From Fernandinho's
slide-rule pass, to Alvaro Negredo's excellent dummy and the Argentina
international's cool finish.
Moment of the match: West Ham looked as though they could get back into the
match before Aguero and Silva put the game beyond them 10 minutes from time.
Save of the match: Jussi Jaaskelainen could not be blamed for any of the
goals and he produced a fine stop to deny Aguero his hat-trick in the second
half.
Talking points: Can Manchester City reclaim the Premier League crown this
season? How long will Sam Allardyce preserve with his 4-6-0 formation.
The Argentina international then accepted a gift-wrapped second from the
home side early in the second half as he was left unmarked eight yards out
to power a header in at the near post from David Silva's free-kick despite
the best efforts of Jaaskelainen. West Ham responded well and enjoyed their
best period of the match, which culminated in an improvised response as
Stewart Downing's header back across the box was flicked on by Ravel
Morrison for Ricardo Vaz to fire an overhead kick into Joe Hart's bottom
corner in the 58th minute. But City's first away win in the Premier League
this season was sealed with 10 minutes remaining as Aguero turned provider,
setting up Silva with a neat back-heel to curl a powerful left-foot shot
across Jaaskelainen to halt any hopes of a comeback from the home side.
Hopes were high among the home fans at kick-off. With the 3-0 win at
Tottenham still fresh in their minds, rarely-heard chants of "Sam
Allardyce's barmy army" rang out around Upton Park.
Grip
West Ham started with the same purpose and drive they displayed at White
Hart Lane two weeks previously. Mohamed Diame picked the ball up from Razvan
Rat before cutting inside and hitting a swirling shot that flew inches wide
of Joe Hart's goal. Then City started to take a grip of the game. Reid put
in a crucial tackle to deny Aguero but the New Zealand defender switched off
moments later and City's Argentina striker took full advantage. Fernandinho
played a long ball along the floor from the halfway line towards Negredo.
Winston Reid and James Tomkins expected the Spaniard to collect the ball,
but he sold them a dummy, leaving the ball completely. Aguero was in behind
the two defenders and he slotted the ball calmly past Jaaskelainen.
Pellegrini on important win
Aguero could have made it 2-0 two minutes later, but he volleyed straight at
the West Ham goalkeeper while free inside the box. City were playing some
delightful football. Silva was given too much time on the ball and he kept
looking to unlock the home defence with a series of superb incisive passes.
Aguero was looking unstoppable. The striker slalomed his way through the
West Ham back line and drew another save from Jaaskelainen. Silva then
entered the book with a dangerous late tackle on Rat and Michael Oliver also
cautioned Kevin Nolan. West Ham were barely creating anything going forward.
Vaz Te headed weakly into Hart's arms just before half-time. City flew up
the other end and would have doubled their lead had Jaaskelainen not pulled
off a save to deny Yaya Toure.
Shambolic
What Allardyce said to his team at half-time had little effect as the
Hammers fell 2-0 down after another piece of shambolic defending. This time
Vaz Te was the offender. The Portuguese player gave Aguero two yards of free
space in the box and the striker capitalised by nodding Silva's cross past
Jaaskelainen.
But West Ham responded and Rat's cross made its way to the back post where
Downing headed back and Morrison flicked on before Vaz Te, with his back to
goal, acrobatically beat Hart from eight yards. The goal lifted the home
side, but City went back on the attack with Negredo, who struck the bar on a
breakneck counter. West Ham were vulnerable as they pushed for an equaliser
and City capitalised. With 10 minutes left, the visitors went on a lightning
counter-attack. Toure played in Aguero, who back-heeled to Silva and he
curled the ball home after giving Reid the slip.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce admits West Ham errors gifted Manchester City victory
By Rob Parrish - Follow me on Twitter @skysportsrobp | Last Updated: October
19, 2013 8:33pm
SSN
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce admitted his side only had themselves to blame
following their 3-1 defeat by Manchester City at Upton Park. Two defensive
blunders allowed Sergio Aguero to put the visitors 2-0 up, with James
Tomkins and Winston Reid falling for Alvaro Negredo's dummy for the opener
in the 16th minute, as Aguero ran onto Fernandinho's excellent pass to beat
Jussi Jaaskelainen. Ricardo Vaz Te then switched off and left Aguero
unmarked to head home David Silva's free kick early in the second half,
although the West Ham man redeemed himself to an extent with an overhead
effort which brought the home side back into the game. But the result was
put beyond doubt 10 minutes from the end when Aguero's neat back-heel set up
Silva to curl a third beyond the helpless Jaaskelainen, who made several
excellent saves throughout the game. Allardyce told Sky Sports: "We gave two
dreadful goals away from our point of view. They have created some very good
chances and our goalkeeper has kept us in the game. "That is what
disappoints me, that Manchester City's goals were given, rather than earned,
and in the end we paid the price for that. "We gave a spirited fight-back
when we got to 2-1. We showed what we could do for a period of time and made
Manchester City's defence look shaky. "But, unfortunately, it was far too
late."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kevin Nolan bemoans lack of England chances for West Ham team-mates
Last Updated: October 19, 2013 12:35pm
SSN
West Ham United captain Kevin Nolan has bemoaned the lack of international
chances for his English team-mates. England boss Roy Hodgson was in
attendance for the Hammers' impressive 3-0 win at Tottenham but, despite
having five Englishmen in their starting line-up, not one player received a
call-up for the recent World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland.
Nolan, who has represented England at under-21 level, believes that Sam
Allardyce's side are often ignored by the national team, regardless of how
well they are performing. "There's eight months to go to the World Cup and
West Ham have probably got the biggest, strongest English set of players in
the country. I don't think there's anyone like us," he told the Sun. "It
feels like the England manager doesn't seem to notice us. Hodgson was at our
game at Spurs but that was because everyone had been talking about Jermain
Defoe. "But you can't tell me he went there and Ravel Morrison or Stewart
Downing, James Tomkins and Mark Noble at least didn't catch the eye. He must
be thinking there's at least four lads there he could call up. "It's very
frustrating. We finished 10th last year and the boss has strengthened the
squad in the summer. If those lads were from other European countries, they
would have caps."
Nolan also pointed the finger at the influx of overseas players in the
Premier League as one of the reasons for England's failings in recent years.
"Something must be done about the amount of foreign players. Playing with
the best players makes it best for the Premier League, but does it make it
the best for England?" said Nolan. "Joe Hart is the only Englishman at Man
City getting regular games. Joleon Lescott would get in most Premier League
sides and you have Micah Richards and James Milner. "They have got Champions
League experience and trophies but they are certainly not regulars. Those
boys should be Man City's main men in my eyes."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL FOR WEST HAM
By Sean Whetstone 20 Oct 2013 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
This is the last in a series of financial articles which explain the
financial rewards of the League Cup, FA Cup, Europa league and the Premier
league. This last article will explore the lofty ambitions of the financial
rewards that await us in the UEFA Champions league. Since 2007 successive
owners of West Ham have set the ambition for Champions League football for
West Ham.
"Champions League? No question about that. Give me at least five years and
from then on. No question," Eggert Magnusson,Chairman of West Ham United,
March 29th, 2007.
"We have a seven-year plan to get them into the Champions League" David
Sullivan Joint Chairman, West Ham United January 2010
"We hope to close that gap. Our aim is to finish third or fourth. In five or
six years, once we get the revenues from the stadium, we will be a force to
reckon with." David Sullivan Joint Chairman, West Ham United March 2013
Champions League Money
UEFA's revenue for the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup
comes from TV rights and commercial contracts worth of around £1.135bn.
75% of the total revenue from media rights and commercial contracts
concluded by UEFA, up to a maximum of the first £449m, will go to the clubs,
while the remaining 25% will be reserved for European football, and will
remain with UEFA to cover organisational and administrative costs as well as
solidarity payments to associations, clubs and leagues.
A total of 82% of any revenue received from the same stream in excess of
£449m will go to the clubs, with the other 18% allotted to European football
and remaining with UEFA for the purposes listed above.
£46.6m is assigned to the Champions League play-offs, as was the case in the
2012/13 season. Each of the 20 teams taking part in the play-offs will
receive a fixed amount of £1.77m. After the deduction of the allocation for
the clubs involved in the play-offs, the gross amount available for the UEFA
Champions League and UEFA Super Cup totals £1.088bn
The net amount available to the participating sides is divided into two –
£424.3m in fixed payments (group stage allocations, performance and
qualification bonuses) and £347.1.6m in variable amounts (market pool). The
market pool amount will be distributed according to the proportional value
of each television market represented by the clubs playing in the UEFA
Champions League (group stage onwards), and will be split among those teams
competing from a given association.
The 32 clubs featuring in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League group stage can
anticipate a minimum £7.2m. The side that eventually wins the UEFA Champions
League title this term could collect £31.7m, not counting the market pool
share.
Each of the 32 teams involved in the group stage will collect a base fee of
£7.3m. Performance bonuses will also see £847,457 paid for a win and £423728
for a draw in the group phase. The sides competing in the round of 16 can
also expect to receive £2.9m each, the eight quarter-finalists £3.3m and the
four semi-finalists £4.1m. The UEFA Champions League winners will pick up
£8.9m and the runners-up £5.5m.
Despite a Premier League club failing to make the last eight for the first
time in 17 years last season. Manchester United came out on top of the
Premier League clubs by collecting £30.5m, while Manchester City received
£24.7m, Chelsea made £26.3m and Arsenal got £26.8m. UEFA says Bayern got
£47.3m in prize money and bonuses, edging beaten finalist Borussia Dortmund
who received £46.4m.
So there you have it! All we have to do now is qualify for Champions league
football.
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Ravel Morrison uses his first-name on his West Ham shirt because of poor
relationship with father
19 Oct 2013 22:31
The Mirror
The West Ham youngster changed the name on the back of his shirt in a bid to
distance himself from his dad, with whom he has a difficult relationship
Ravel Morrison requested special dispensation from the Premier League to
have his first name on the back of his West Ham shirt. And the name change
was down to Ravel's wish to distance himself from his dad after their
relationship had deteriorated. An earlier similar request to the Football
League was turned down on the basis that he had already been named as
Morrison. But the Premier League sanctioned the switch and it appears to be
part of the lad turning over a new leaf.
Morrison's troubled past was one reason why Sir Alex Ferguson finally
decided to let the youngster leave Manchester United in 2012. There were
allegations that Morrison had even gone to the lengths of securing a
restraining order against his parents. And, prior to joining West Ham, he
was living with his grandparents, in Denton, Greater Manchester. It appears
the rift with his mum has now subsided, even though he has a police caution
for assaulting her.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has revealed that the club follow Morrison's
twitter account to see what he's up to. He landed himself in trouble in
February last year after posting a homophobic threat and was fined £7,000 by
the FA. But trouble still stalks him, as, last week, he was involved in an
ugly on-field row with Under-21 team-mate Wilfried Zaha that was halted by
the interjection of team-mate Nathan Redmond.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
David Gold praises Ravel Morrison but warns not to follow path of Paul
Gascoigne and George Best
19 Oct 2013 22:30
The Mirror
Mike Hewitt
David Gold has told Ravel Morrison he's got the whole world in his hands –
but has warned the young star not to blow it. The West Ham co-owner thinks
Morrison can go from bad boy to poster boy after a man-of-the-match display
for England Under-21s earlier in the week. The 20-year-old has been tipped
to break into Roy Hodgson's World Cup squad after two recent jaw-dropping
goals for the Hammers and the Young Lions. But his bust-up with team-mate
Wilfried Zaha near the end of the European Championship qualifier against
Lithuania on Tuesday revived memories of a career plagued by disciplinary
problems and off-the-pitch issues. Gold said: "It's up to him now. He's 20
years of age and he can be anything. I truly believe we have a young genius
emerging. "He is such an exciting prospect for us. "He's gone past the
stage where people have told him you can be a star and it's now completely
100 per cent in his hands. That happens to a lot of players. "It happened to
Paul Gascoigne and to George Best. It was in their hands. Yes, they need
help in their teens. But once they are in their twenties – with Gascoigne,
Best and now Ravel – it's up to them."
Morrison was booted out of Manchester United last year and looked set to
leave Upton Park this summer. But he got his head down towards the end of a
season-long loan spell at Championship side Birmingham last term. He had a
furious confrontation with Zaha at the Under-21s match at Portman Road, with
Norwich midfielder Nathan Redmond having to act as peacemaker. But Gold
believes Morrison is now a reformed character – especially as he has great
support from his West Ham team-mates. The Hammers co-owner said: "He has,
obviously, had difficulties in the past. I've read that he's had
difficulties.
"But whenever I meet him and I see him, I believe he is a very sensible
young man. I believe all the troubles are behind him. We should stop seeing
him as a problem young man. He's not. He's level-headed, he's sensible, he's
charming. "We've got good people looking after him and out for him at our
club. West Ham United have a great tradition in doing this. "Joe Cole helps
him. He's got Mark Noble, who's come through the ranks. He's got Kevin
Nolan, the best captain in the Premier League in terms of man-management.
"Kevin has embraced him and there is this great camaraderie. He is in this
fantastic place. So it's now up to him."He's got Sam Allardyce and West Ham
is a great club for looking after its players."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Sergio Aguero's double helped Manchester City defeat West Ham United 3-1 on
Saturday
19.10.2013
West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United were unable to prevent Manchester City from recording their
first away Barclays Premier League win of the season on Saturday evening.
Ricardo Vaz Te's 58th minute overhead kick gave them hope of overturning a
two-goal deficit to Sergio Aguero's brace either side of half-time, but City
always seemed to have the edge and sealed a 3-1 victory with a David Silva
goal. There were still positives to take for the Hammers, who did not allow
the game to run away from them as it could have done at 2-0, and forced City
onto the back foot for a spell around Vaz Te's strike.The visitors showed
their strength in seeing off the hosts, however, as they moved into the top
four, Ravel Morrison had the Boleyn Ground crowd on its feet with a spin
away from Yaya Toure on 14 minutes. He laid off to Mark Noble, who found
Mohamed Diame, and his swerving shot faded away and past Joe Hart's far
post. A minute later Manchester City went on the attack and Winston Reid cot
caught on the wrong side of Alvaro Negredo as the ball was played into him
inside the area, but the New Zealander recovered to tackle. However, the
Hammers did not heed the warning and they found themselves behind a minute
later when Negredo cleverly let Fernandinho's pass run through his legs and
into Aguero, who was suddenly in the clear and he kept his calm to roll
beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen and into the far corner. Three minutes later
Augero was presented with a great chance to double the tally when Negredo
leapt highest to nod David Silva's dink into the box back to the
Argentinean, but his shot was directed straight at Jaaskelainen.
City seemed to have a greater intensity about them and Negredo showed huge
desire to dispossess James Tomkins on the edge of his own box on 32 minutes
before dragging a left-footed shot past the far post. West Ham's moments of
threat before the break were limited, although with 40 minutes played Micah
Richards and Javi Garcia combined strongly to block a Vaz Te header
following Stewart Downing's right wing cross. At the other end Jaaskelainen
had to tip a Toure scorcher over the top and City did not have to wait too
long after the interval to stretch their advantage. The simplicity of the
51st minute goal would have annoyed Hammers boss Sam Allardyce as Aguero was
left all alone to nod Silva's left wing free kick into the top left corner
of the net. West Ham found that the best way to stem the tide was to go on
the attack themselves and they were right back in the contest just seven
minutes later. Vaz Te bagged his second goal in as many games, improvising
well to acrobatically volley home after Downing and Ravel Morrison had done
well to keep a Razvan Rat cross alive at the far post.
The game had a great tempo about it at this stage and the lively Negredo
almost restored his team's two-goal advantage just past the hour, but his
angled shot crashed against the bar and to safety. Shortly afterwards
Jaaskelainen was at full stretch to deny Aguero his hat trick, but City
could not be contained as an attacking threat and they made sure of the
points ten minutes from time. Silva was the goalscorer, sidestepping Reid
and firing home after Aguero made the space in the area to back heel to his
teammate. The goal gave the visitors a healthy cushion as they entered the
closing stages and the Hammers were unable to come again.
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen; Deme (O'Brien 65), Tomkins, Reid, Rat; Nolan
(Petric 82), Noble, Diame; Downing, Morrison, Vaz Te (Jarvis 65)
Subs: Adrian, Taylor, C.Cole, J.Cole
Goal: Vaz Te 58
Booked: Noble
Manchester City: Hart; Richards, Garcia, Nastasic, Clichy; Nasri (Milner
74), Toure, Fernandinho, Silva; Negredo (Kolarov 65), Aguero (Jovetic 82)
Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Lescott, Dzeko
Goals: Aguero 16, 51, Silva 80
Booked: Silva, Nastasic
Referee: Michael Oliver
Attendance: 34,907
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Under-18s down Canaries
WHUFC.com
The Hammers' Under-18s bagged a fourth successive league victory with this
2-0 win over Norwich City
19.10.2013
West Ham United Under-18s made it four wins in four in the Barclays U18
Premier League, as they downed Norwich City 2-0 at Little Heath on Saturday.
A tight game for the most-part remained goalless until the 70th minute, when
Portuguese striker Marcio Martins popped up to fire the Hammers in front.
Then, in the final minute, Jerry Amoo's long run, from his own half into the
penalty area, earned the hosts a spot-kick as he was felled. Skipper Kieran
Bywater stepped up, confidently dispatching the penalty to notch his tenth
goal of the season.
Manager Steve Potts made several changes to the side that defeated Tottenham
Hotspur last weekend with Amoo, Sam Baxter, Jordan Brown, Emmanuel Onariase
and Djair Parfitt-Williams the men to drop out, while returning England U18
internationals Reece Burke and Kyle Knoyle, along with Martins, Nathan
Mavila and 'keeper Sam Howes earned a recall. The game started slowly and
the closest either side came to a goal in the first quarter of an hour were
two overhead kicks from Martins, neither of which posed a great threat to
Lloyd Thomas in the Norwich goal. Shortly afterwards, West Ham were
appealing for a penalty, when Bywater was upended, only for the referee to
award a free-kick right on the edge of the box. Uncharacteristically for
Bywater, the resulting free-kick was fired straight into the wall. West Ham
continued to press and might have broken the deadlock when Moses Makasi's
effort from 18 yards was parried by Thomas, before Mavila curled his low
strike round the far post. The best chance of the first half, however, fell
to Norwich's Jake Simpson, who found himself one-on-one with Howes, but
snatched at the chance and sliced over the crossbar. After the break, Lewis
Page almost scooped a clearance from a Norwich corner straight into the top
corner of his own net, but 'keeper Howes did brilliantly to claw the ball
away from the top corner. The Hammers, meanwhile, were much improved and
had three strikes on goal, but neither Martins, Knoyle or Mavila could make
the most of promising situations. The deadlock was eventually broken with 70
minutes on the clock, with Martins confidently slotting into the bottom left
corner of the net, having been played in by Bywater. Then, as Norwich looked
to grab an equaliser from a late corner, the ball was cleared into Amoo, who
collected inside his own half and looked to be headed for the corner flag.
Having run in excess of 50 yards, Amoo surged toward goal, prompting
Canaries defender Ben Burgess to concede a last-gasp penalty. It was Bywater
who stepped up to take it and did so confidently, taking his tally for the
season to an astonishing ten goals in ten games. Steve Potts' Academy outfit
will look to stretch their winning streak to five, when they head north to
take on Middlesbrough U18s on Saturday 26 October at 11am.
West Ham United Under-18s: Howes, Knoyle, Girdlestone, Burke, Page, Cullen,
Marlow (Amoo), Makasi, Mavila, Bywater, Martins.
Subs not used: Nemrava, Bailey, Onariase, Brown.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'We had a good go'
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble believes West Ham United can hold their heads high, despite
losing at home to Manchester City
20.10.2013
Mark Noble believes West Ham United could not have given any more in
Saturday's 3-1 Barclays Premier League defeat by big-spending Manchester
City.
The Hammers slipped to their third straight league defeat at the Boleyn
Ground courtesy of two goals from Sergio Aguero and an outstanding clincher
from David Silva. Following Aguero's double. West Ham rallied and got back
into the game when Ricardo Vaz Te volleyed in with more than half-an-hour to
go, but Noble conceded that the Londoners had been beaten by the better side
overall. "We had a good go in the second half," Noble told West Ham TV. "We
had a couple of half-chances in the first half, too, where if the ball had
dropped or we could have bundled it in, we could have gone ahead. "They were
a couple of great pieces of skill by Aguero. Against those sort of teams you
have to ride your luck and they scored a couple of great goals and we got
beaten by the better team in the end."
After starting the match in the same 4-6-0 formation that secured a
sensational 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in their previous fixture, the
Hammers were forced to go on the offensive when Aguero put City two goals
clear six minutes after half-time. For the next 20 minutes, with the
full-backs and wingers pushing on and Ravel Morrison, Kevin Nolan and
Mohamed Diame pressuring City's makeshift central defenders, West Ham
repeatedly knocked on the door. However, the ball just wouldn't drop to a
home player inside the City penalty area, allowing Silva to settle matters
at the end of fine move that also involved Yaya Toure and Aguero. "Me and
Nobby said it on the pitch when they scored their second goal that we were
going to push Ravel and Mo up and I think the Gaffer told them to get up and
pressure their back four and it seemed to work a little bit better. "We got
a foothold in the game and got a goal and it could have gone either way. As
it was, it was a great piece of skill from Aguero and David Silva that
finished us off."
In the final analysis, Noble conceded that City's expensively-assembled
squad had just had too much, but pointed out that West Ham supporters
recognised the effort put in by their team. "Manchester City did play well
but that's what you should expect when you spend £300 million. We didn't
embarrass ourselves and the fans could see that because they clapped us off
the pitch and we had a good go. "Sometimes against the top, top teams you
need a bit of luck but we never got that and we got beaten by the better
team."
Looking forward, West Ham will look to continue their fine away form - one
defeat and one goal conceded in four league matches - at Swansea City next
Sunday. There, Noble and company will be eager to erase the memory of last
season's 3-0 reverse at the Liberty Stadium, while also seeking to pick up
much-needed points as the first quarter of the season draws to a close. "The
thing is, we came off a great result against Spurs and although we lost on
Saturday, we can go into the game confident. We've been playing well in all
the games this season, apart from Stoke. "We've given a good account of
ourselves otherwise and we'll give it a good go."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam's birthday blues
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce reflects on Saturday's Barclays Premier League defeat at home
to Manchester City
19.10.2013
Sam Allardyce lamented West Ham United's uncharacteristically charitable
defending as Manchester City ran out 3-1 winners at the Boleyn Ground to
dampen the manager's birthday celebrations. Sergio Aguero twice escaped the
attention of the Hammers' defenders to put the visitors two goals to the
good, and though Ricardo Vaz Te's acrobatic effort halved the deficit, David
Silva's tidy finish wrapped up the points with 80 minutes on the clock.
While Manchester City were excellent on the day, Big Sam was nevertheless
disappointed in the manner of the visitors' first two goals.
He told West Ham TV: "It's a miserable birthday for me, because the only
thing you want for your birthday is a good, positive result. But we didn't
get that and unfortunately, when you play a side of Manchester City's
quality, we need to hit top form.
"I don't think we set the tempo high enough at the beginning, and,
Manchester City, with their quality, got the ball down and kept it, passed
it and passed it until they got through us. It made life very difficult for
us. When we did win it again, we didn't pass it properly ourselves, we gave
it back to them.
"So they were controlling the tempo and then we made, unfortunately, a
howler of an error for the first goal. Just a straight little ball down the
middle and unfortunately neither of our centre-halves dealt with it, which
is very unusual for them. And you don't give Aguero a one-on-one with the
goalie. Very rarely does he miss and he puts it in.
"Not only did we do that, we did exactly the wrong thing on a free-kick six
minutes into the second half. So the first half was very disappointing,
apart from Jussi, who kept us in the game with some outstanding saves."
At the other end of the pitch, Big Sam conceded that his men had failed to
give England stopper Joe Hart enough to worry about, in the knowledge that
the 26-year-old had endured one or two difficult moments in recent weeks.
That said, the Hammers boss could, at least, take some solace in his side's
response to going two goals down.
He continued: "We had a few fleeting moments in the opposition's box, but we
didn't test Joe Hart enough by hitting the target, which I tried to insist
on before the game. He has made one or two errors, as we know, and we needed
to find out whether there was any nervous edge there.
"We certainly didn't hit the target enough to find that out and he did make
one outstanding save at 2-1 when we got through with Mo Diame's one-on-one.
"It was disappointing up until we went 2-0 down and then we showed a bit of
spirit, a bit of fight and a little bit of quality, at last. We scored a
very good goal and looked like we might actually get a result out of it. In
the end, we didn't score again in that spell and Manchester City scored a
very good third goal. I can't criticise the lads too much for that one, but
we'd already gifted them two."
Even in defeat, Big Sam pointed to the stand-out performances of Jussi
Jaaskelainen and Stewart Downing, though he acknowledged that too few of his
men were able to replicate their heroics at White Hart Lane.
"Stewart Downing was very, very good, and, like I said, Jussi too. But the
rest of the team never hit the same heights as they did at Tottenham, and
that's my big disappointment.
"For me, you can talk about systems, but at the end of the day, the players
have to play their best within the system that you pick and then it works.
It would always have to be the best performances from the XI out there to
compete against Manchester City and then see what happens. Unfortunately, we
didn't and Man City, on top of that, were very, very good as well."
Casting an eye toward next Sunday's trip to Swansea City, Big Sam knows
exactly what he expects of his side, namely a performance akin to the one
produced at Tottenham Hotspur.
"Certainly the last away performance at Tottenham is something we have to
try to emulate at Swansea. They've eventually won, having not won at home
for a very long time, against Sunderland.
"So we have to go there with a positive attitude and say to the players, I
want you to perform like you did at Tottenham and if you do that, you're
going to give Swansea a hell of a game and will get the chances to win the
game. Because Swansea, as good as they are, are not as good as Tottenham, so
if we get to that level, we'll get the opportunity. Whether we take it or
not will be a different matter."
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On this day - 20 October
WHUFC.com
The Hammers struck four on a profitable away day for the club in 1984
20.10.2013
Classic match
Stoke City 2-4 West Ham United
Division One
20 October 1984
Four different scorers saw the Hammers record a good away win at the
Victoria Ground on this day in 1984. Paul Allen, Paul Goddard, Tony Cottee
and an own goal from Stoke's George Berry saw the away side to victory in a
six goal thriller. The Hammers went on to finish the season in 16th place
whilst the Potters were relegated after finishing bottom of the league.
Complete record - 20 October
1923 Chelsea 0-0 West Ham United (Division One)
1928 West Ham United 2-4 Everton (Division One)
1934 West Ham United 2-0 Swansea Town (Division Two)
1951 Birmingham City 2-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
1956 Bristol Rovers 1-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
1973 Coventry City 0-1 West Ham United (Division One)
1971 Leeds United 0-1 West Ham United (League Cup)
1979 West Ham United 1-2 Luton Town (Division Two)
1984 Stoke City 2-4 West Ham United (Division One)
1990 Swindon Town 0-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
2001 West Ham United 2-0 Southampton (Premier League)
2012 West Ham United 4-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Played 12, Won 7, Drawn 2, Lost 3, Scored 20, Conceded 12
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ladies to make do without Little
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies midfielder Stacey Little has been ruled out with a
long-term ankle injury
19.10.2013
Last weekend, West Ham United Ladies' title hopes took another hit with a
disappointing 4-1 FA Women's Premier League defeat at Keynsham Town Ladies.
One player who unfortunately had to sit out of that game is midfielder
Stacey Little, who suffered an ankle injury during a league meeting with
Spurs a fortnight ago, which could see her ruled out for the rest of the
season. That was tough news for the hard-working and dedicated 26-year-old
to take.
"I took a couple of heavy tackles to my ankle," Little explained. "I played
on after the first tackle in a lot of pain but the second tackle finished me
off. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to play on, I just couldn't. I later
found out I had chipped a bone in my ankle. "When I got the news, I was
fighting back the tears, which will explain how devastated I was. Even more
so, as I feel that I was having one of my best seasons so far."
While Little will not be on the pitch, she will be cheering her team-mates
on when they attempt to return to winning ways at Gillingham on Sunday, with
kick-off at Chatham Town FC at 2pm. Little's footballing career started on
the playground playing against the boys, before she joined her local team
Hatfield Youth.
"I never really started playing football until I joined Hatfield Youth. I
used to play with the boys at primary school at break time but that's as
serious as it got really. "Hatfield Youth were my local team. For me, at
that age, I suppose it was just a way for me to learn more about the basics
of the game."
Before long, Little found herself being advised to take a step up to a
higher level and, despite never being part of an Academy, she joined Queens
Park Rangers. "For years I have been told that I should be playing at a
higher level but I've never had the self-confidence for it. I don't know
that made me take the step, but one day I just thought I'd try it and see if
I was good enough and how I got on. "My inspiration has always been my Dad.
He was always there to drive me to games and is always honest with me
whether I have played well or not. Even now, he is still trying to teach me
a thing or two. "I never went to the Academy of any club as I didn't know
much about them when I was younger. However, I wish I had because I think
that they would have developed me more as a player. "My Dad was working with
a girl at the time that had previously played for QPR and she arranged a
trial for me. It was an easy decision for me to join them as they were at a
decent level of women's football for me to test myself."
Little's time at QPR helped her develop as a player as she was being coached
by more experienced coaches and playing against better teams, but she became
unhappy and decided to move to Charlton Ladies. "The best thing about my
time at QPR was experience at a whole. The level of football was new to me
and it was a chance for me to play with better players and learn new things
from the coaches and players around me to better myself. "I was unhappy at
QPR and was looking for a new club. At the time, Charlton had withdrew all
the funding from their women's team and lost all their players so were
starting from scratch with no players. "When I joined Charlton, they were in
the Women's Premier League playing against the likes of Arsenal, Everton and
Liverpool so again this was another massive step up for me. "Our manager,
Paul Mortimer, was an ex-professional footballer so he was very experienced
when it comes to the tactical side of the game as well as the physical
attributes needed."
In 2010, Little again decided to move on and there was only one team that
she wanted to move to. "I just felt the need to move on from Charlton to a
new team and new challenge and for me, the only team that I had in mind was
West Ham. "It was a little surreal when I joined West Ham Ladies but it was
a very proud moment for me and my family to put on that shirt for the first
time and play for the club I love."
Little is now in her fourth season with West Ham and looking back over her
career, she believes that her main growth as a footballer has been her
self-confidence. "I have developed as a footballer massively over the years.
When I look back from when I started at QPR to where I am now, my confidence
has been the main factor of my growth as a player. "This confidence came
from the start of my time at West Ham. It was Julia Setford that gave me the
opportunity and believed in my ability when I joined and I am forever
grateful to her for that."
Since getting injured during the 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, Little
is trying to keep positive, but is taking the news that she may not play
again badly as she was planning for this season to be her last. "Although
the boyfriend is trying to remain positive for me, it's very hard for me to
stay positive in all honesty. "I was planning on this to be my last season
and now it's been cut short and I'm unsure whether I'll feature again at all
this season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 1 Man City 3
19 October 2013
Last updated at 19:56
By Chris Bevan
BBC Sport
Sergio Aguero scored twice as Manchester City saw off West Ham to go fourth
in the Premier League. City tore through the middle of the Hammers' defence
for their opener, with Alvaro Negredo leaving Fernandinho's pass for Aguero
to calmly slot home. Aguero made it 2-0 with a header from David Silva's
free-kick but Vaz Te replied with an acrobatic strike. That set up a tense
finish, until Silva found the top corner to seal City's first away league
win of the season.
City's form on the road has been the biggest concern for new manager Manuel
Pellegrini this season, and they badly needed a solid display in the first
of four successive away games in the league, Champions League and League
Cup. This was the third time that Sergio Aguero has scored more than once
away from home in a Premier League away match - he also scored twice in the
2-2 draw at Fulham on 18 September 2011 and 14 April 2012 - when he scored
two in the 6-1 win at Norwich.
They began strongly in east London, establishing a platform in midfield and
controlling that area of the pitch. West Ham were chasing shadows and City's
slick movement and passing saw them take an early lead through Aguero, who
galloped clear unopposed after 16 minutes. That was only the second goal
West Ham have conceded in open play in the Premier League this season, but
Sam Allardyce's side were looking vulnerable every time City came at them.
Aguero made space for another shot that just eluded Silva after squirming
out of Jussi Jaaskelainen's grasp, while the Hammers keeper did well to keep
out a curling Yaya Toure shot after a mistake by Winston Reid. The home
side, who were again operating without an out-and-out striker, did enjoy
spells of pressure too but they lacked a cutting edge when they put the ball
into the box and ended the first half without managing a shot on target.
Things got bleaker for West Ham after the break when Aguero met Silva's
free-kick with a pin-point near-post header - his first in the Premier
League - to double City's lead. But the Hammers responded with their best
spell of the match, culminating with Vaz Te's overhead kick after Ravel
Morrison had hooked the ball back into the danger zone.
City had gone ahead in both of their away Premier League defeats this
season, and their lead looked fragile again as West Ham bombarded their box
with crosses and free-kicks. This time, however, there was a different
outcome.
In contrast to their displays in defeats at Cardiff and Aston Villa,
Pellegrini's side kept their defensive discipline, and got their reward at
the other end too.
Negredo could have settled City's nerves when he slammed an angled shot
against the underside of the bar, while Jaaskelainen had to be alert to keep
out efforts from Aguero and Aleksandar Kolarov. Instead it was down to Silva
to put the game beyond West Ham's reach. He met Aguero's clever backheel on
the edge of the area to curl an unstoppable shot into the top corner and
ensure City embark on their next trip, to CSKA Moscow in the Champions
League on Wednesday, on the back of a win.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce: "City were very, very good. Because they were
so good we could not get near our best. "The lads had a right go after going
2-0 down. Before that, we were nowhere near our best. We had to be at our
best, and they had to have an off day, for us to beat them. "For the size,
power and money they have, we could not live with them today. It showed at
times. "We could have felt sorry for ourselves and lost 4-0, but we made a
spirited comeback. We did not find the form we had at Tottenham. It did not
work today. The lads did not apply themselves as well."
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini: "Winning the game was the most
important thing for us. We played very well, and the best player for West
Ham was their goalkeeper. "We played as well as we did against Aston Villa
[when City lost 3-2]. Someone asked me if I needed to change the way we
played away, and I do not think so. "This team should always play in
attacking way because of the players we have. "We were absolutely sure
playing the way we were, we would win away. We lost against Cardiff and
Aston Villa, but football is like that."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce on... Manchester City
KUMB,com
Filed: Saturday, 19th October 2013
By: Staff Writer
Big Sam was understandably disappointed by a third home defeat of the season
- whilst admitting that his team were distinctly second best...
Sam: I thought you gave it a good go today, especially after the second
goal?
Too late though, wasn't it. That's the problem. Manchester City were better
than us today. If we were to get a result then I've always said that you
have to play your very best - but sometimes the opposition don't allow you
to do that.
We came out of the traps hoping we could set the tempo but what happened is
that Manchster City decided they would, what with the quality of their
players. When you get the front two and Yaya Toure passing the ball like
they did it frightened us a little bit, put us on the back foot.
The sad thing was, even after all of that, when they got through our
goalkeeper was magnificent today - but then we made two basic errors for two
goals, rather than the quality of Aguero, Negredo or Silva putting the ball
in the back of the net with great, fluent moves.
A simple ball down the middle for the first goal and somebody not picking
the smallest man in Man City up on the second goal was really disappointing
for us. So gifting the two to them was something that you don't really
expect to come back from against a team of their quality.
But we gave it a go, and at least I was pleased with the response the lads
showed in not giving up and fighting right until the end. And, of course,
when we got back to 2-1 with a good goal that we scored we showed a little
bit more of the passing qualities that had failed us in the first half.
The constant passing back to our players and the opposition regaining
possession was the reason we didn't look anything like we did at Tottenham
two weeks ago. So really our only contribution from an attacking point of
view was 20, 25 minutes - but that was after Manchester City were already
2-0 up and that was too late.
Was James Collins maybe the most important missing element out there today?
No,
I don't think so. We played with James Tomkins and got a clean sheet against
Tottenham so I think whether it's James Collins or James Tomkins, the
quality of Negredo and Aguero was outstanding. The quality of their runs
with Yaya Toure and David Silva passing it to them. But, even when they
pierced our defence Jussi was there to save us today.
It wasn't the quality of the first goal, it was a huge mistake by our
defence and a good finish. But it wasn't really quality the second goal, it
was a huge mistake by us letting him have a free header seven yards out. To
be fair to him he's put both of them away pretty well but for him they
weren't difficult finishes because he didn't have any pressure on him.
What's the news on Guy Demel, who was substituted in the second half?
He's okay; it's just a dead leg.
Thank you.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sergio Aguero scores two as Manchester City beat West Ham
Last Updated: October 20, 2013 9:13am
SSN
Sergio Aguero scored two and set up a third as Manchester City climbed into
the top four of the Premier League with a 3-1 victory against West Ham at
Upton Park. The opening goal came in the 16th minute when Fernandinho's
slide-rule pass was allowed to run by Alvaro Negredo, putting the West Ham
defence on their heels and giving Aguero the opportunity to ghost into the
box and finish with aplomb beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Best of the match:
Man of the match: Sergio Aguero can be the only winner after scoring two and
setting up David Silva for the third.
Goal of the match: Aguero's opener was excellent. From Fernandinho's
slide-rule pass, to Alvaro Negredo's excellent dummy and the Argentina
international's cool finish.
Moment of the match: West Ham looked as though they could get back into the
match before Aguero and Silva put the game beyond them 10 minutes from time.
Save of the match: Jussi Jaaskelainen could not be blamed for any of the
goals and he produced a fine stop to deny Aguero his hat-trick in the second
half.
Talking points: Can Manchester City reclaim the Premier League crown this
season? How long will Sam Allardyce preserve with his 4-6-0 formation.
The Argentina international then accepted a gift-wrapped second from the
home side early in the second half as he was left unmarked eight yards out
to power a header in at the near post from David Silva's free-kick despite
the best efforts of Jaaskelainen. West Ham responded well and enjoyed their
best period of the match, which culminated in an improvised response as
Stewart Downing's header back across the box was flicked on by Ravel
Morrison for Ricardo Vaz to fire an overhead kick into Joe Hart's bottom
corner in the 58th minute. But City's first away win in the Premier League
this season was sealed with 10 minutes remaining as Aguero turned provider,
setting up Silva with a neat back-heel to curl a powerful left-foot shot
across Jaaskelainen to halt any hopes of a comeback from the home side.
Hopes were high among the home fans at kick-off. With the 3-0 win at
Tottenham still fresh in their minds, rarely-heard chants of "Sam
Allardyce's barmy army" rang out around Upton Park.
Grip
West Ham started with the same purpose and drive they displayed at White
Hart Lane two weeks previously. Mohamed Diame picked the ball up from Razvan
Rat before cutting inside and hitting a swirling shot that flew inches wide
of Joe Hart's goal. Then City started to take a grip of the game. Reid put
in a crucial tackle to deny Aguero but the New Zealand defender switched off
moments later and City's Argentina striker took full advantage. Fernandinho
played a long ball along the floor from the halfway line towards Negredo.
Winston Reid and James Tomkins expected the Spaniard to collect the ball,
but he sold them a dummy, leaving the ball completely. Aguero was in behind
the two defenders and he slotted the ball calmly past Jaaskelainen.
Pellegrini on important win
Aguero could have made it 2-0 two minutes later, but he volleyed straight at
the West Ham goalkeeper while free inside the box. City were playing some
delightful football. Silva was given too much time on the ball and he kept
looking to unlock the home defence with a series of superb incisive passes.
Aguero was looking unstoppable. The striker slalomed his way through the
West Ham back line and drew another save from Jaaskelainen. Silva then
entered the book with a dangerous late tackle on Rat and Michael Oliver also
cautioned Kevin Nolan. West Ham were barely creating anything going forward.
Vaz Te headed weakly into Hart's arms just before half-time. City flew up
the other end and would have doubled their lead had Jaaskelainen not pulled
off a save to deny Yaya Toure.
Shambolic
What Allardyce said to his team at half-time had little effect as the
Hammers fell 2-0 down after another piece of shambolic defending. This time
Vaz Te was the offender. The Portuguese player gave Aguero two yards of free
space in the box and the striker capitalised by nodding Silva's cross past
Jaaskelainen.
But West Ham responded and Rat's cross made its way to the back post where
Downing headed back and Morrison flicked on before Vaz Te, with his back to
goal, acrobatically beat Hart from eight yards. The goal lifted the home
side, but City went back on the attack with Negredo, who struck the bar on a
breakneck counter. West Ham were vulnerable as they pushed for an equaliser
and City capitalised. With 10 minutes left, the visitors went on a lightning
counter-attack. Toure played in Aguero, who back-heeled to Silva and he
curled the ball home after giving Reid the slip.
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Sam Allardyce admits West Ham errors gifted Manchester City victory
By Rob Parrish - Follow me on Twitter @skysportsrobp | Last Updated: October
19, 2013 8:33pm
SSN
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce admitted his side only had themselves to blame
following their 3-1 defeat by Manchester City at Upton Park. Two defensive
blunders allowed Sergio Aguero to put the visitors 2-0 up, with James
Tomkins and Winston Reid falling for Alvaro Negredo's dummy for the opener
in the 16th minute, as Aguero ran onto Fernandinho's excellent pass to beat
Jussi Jaaskelainen. Ricardo Vaz Te then switched off and left Aguero
unmarked to head home David Silva's free kick early in the second half,
although the West Ham man redeemed himself to an extent with an overhead
effort which brought the home side back into the game. But the result was
put beyond doubt 10 minutes from the end when Aguero's neat back-heel set up
Silva to curl a third beyond the helpless Jaaskelainen, who made several
excellent saves throughout the game. Allardyce told Sky Sports: "We gave two
dreadful goals away from our point of view. They have created some very good
chances and our goalkeeper has kept us in the game. "That is what
disappoints me, that Manchester City's goals were given, rather than earned,
and in the end we paid the price for that. "We gave a spirited fight-back
when we got to 2-1. We showed what we could do for a period of time and made
Manchester City's defence look shaky. "But, unfortunately, it was far too
late."
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Kevin Nolan bemoans lack of England chances for West Ham team-mates
Last Updated: October 19, 2013 12:35pm
SSN
West Ham United captain Kevin Nolan has bemoaned the lack of international
chances for his English team-mates. England boss Roy Hodgson was in
attendance for the Hammers' impressive 3-0 win at Tottenham but, despite
having five Englishmen in their starting line-up, not one player received a
call-up for the recent World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland.
Nolan, who has represented England at under-21 level, believes that Sam
Allardyce's side are often ignored by the national team, regardless of how
well they are performing. "There's eight months to go to the World Cup and
West Ham have probably got the biggest, strongest English set of players in
the country. I don't think there's anyone like us," he told the Sun. "It
feels like the England manager doesn't seem to notice us. Hodgson was at our
game at Spurs but that was because everyone had been talking about Jermain
Defoe. "But you can't tell me he went there and Ravel Morrison or Stewart
Downing, James Tomkins and Mark Noble at least didn't catch the eye. He must
be thinking there's at least four lads there he could call up. "It's very
frustrating. We finished 10th last year and the boss has strengthened the
squad in the summer. If those lads were from other European countries, they
would have caps."
Nolan also pointed the finger at the influx of overseas players in the
Premier League as one of the reasons for England's failings in recent years.
"Something must be done about the amount of foreign players. Playing with
the best players makes it best for the Premier League, but does it make it
the best for England?" said Nolan. "Joe Hart is the only Englishman at Man
City getting regular games. Joleon Lescott would get in most Premier League
sides and you have Micah Richards and James Milner. "They have got Champions
League experience and trophies but they are certainly not regulars. Those
boys should be Man City's main men in my eyes."
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL FOR WEST HAM
By Sean Whetstone 20 Oct 2013 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
This is the last in a series of financial articles which explain the
financial rewards of the League Cup, FA Cup, Europa league and the Premier
league. This last article will explore the lofty ambitions of the financial
rewards that await us in the UEFA Champions league. Since 2007 successive
owners of West Ham have set the ambition for Champions League football for
West Ham.
"Champions League? No question about that. Give me at least five years and
from then on. No question," Eggert Magnusson,Chairman of West Ham United,
March 29th, 2007.
"We have a seven-year plan to get them into the Champions League" David
Sullivan Joint Chairman, West Ham United January 2010
"We hope to close that gap. Our aim is to finish third or fourth. In five or
six years, once we get the revenues from the stadium, we will be a force to
reckon with." David Sullivan Joint Chairman, West Ham United March 2013
Champions League Money
UEFA's revenue for the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup
comes from TV rights and commercial contracts worth of around £1.135bn.
75% of the total revenue from media rights and commercial contracts
concluded by UEFA, up to a maximum of the first £449m, will go to the clubs,
while the remaining 25% will be reserved for European football, and will
remain with UEFA to cover organisational and administrative costs as well as
solidarity payments to associations, clubs and leagues.
A total of 82% of any revenue received from the same stream in excess of
£449m will go to the clubs, with the other 18% allotted to European football
and remaining with UEFA for the purposes listed above.
£46.6m is assigned to the Champions League play-offs, as was the case in the
2012/13 season. Each of the 20 teams taking part in the play-offs will
receive a fixed amount of £1.77m. After the deduction of the allocation for
the clubs involved in the play-offs, the gross amount available for the UEFA
Champions League and UEFA Super Cup totals £1.088bn
The net amount available to the participating sides is divided into two –
£424.3m in fixed payments (group stage allocations, performance and
qualification bonuses) and £347.1.6m in variable amounts (market pool). The
market pool amount will be distributed according to the proportional value
of each television market represented by the clubs playing in the UEFA
Champions League (group stage onwards), and will be split among those teams
competing from a given association.
The 32 clubs featuring in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League group stage can
anticipate a minimum £7.2m. The side that eventually wins the UEFA Champions
League title this term could collect £31.7m, not counting the market pool
share.
Each of the 32 teams involved in the group stage will collect a base fee of
£7.3m. Performance bonuses will also see £847,457 paid for a win and £423728
for a draw in the group phase. The sides competing in the round of 16 can
also expect to receive £2.9m each, the eight quarter-finalists £3.3m and the
four semi-finalists £4.1m. The UEFA Champions League winners will pick up
£8.9m and the runners-up £5.5m.
Despite a Premier League club failing to make the last eight for the first
time in 17 years last season. Manchester United came out on top of the
Premier League clubs by collecting £30.5m, while Manchester City received
£24.7m, Chelsea made £26.3m and Arsenal got £26.8m. UEFA says Bayern got
£47.3m in prize money and bonuses, edging beaten finalist Borussia Dortmund
who received £46.4m.
So there you have it! All we have to do now is qualify for Champions league
football.
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Ravel Morrison uses his first-name on his West Ham shirt because of poor
relationship with father
19 Oct 2013 22:31
The Mirror
The West Ham youngster changed the name on the back of his shirt in a bid to
distance himself from his dad, with whom he has a difficult relationship
Ravel Morrison requested special dispensation from the Premier League to
have his first name on the back of his West Ham shirt. And the name change
was down to Ravel's wish to distance himself from his dad after their
relationship had deteriorated. An earlier similar request to the Football
League was turned down on the basis that he had already been named as
Morrison. But the Premier League sanctioned the switch and it appears to be
part of the lad turning over a new leaf.
Morrison's troubled past was one reason why Sir Alex Ferguson finally
decided to let the youngster leave Manchester United in 2012. There were
allegations that Morrison had even gone to the lengths of securing a
restraining order against his parents. And, prior to joining West Ham, he
was living with his grandparents, in Denton, Greater Manchester. It appears
the rift with his mum has now subsided, even though he has a police caution
for assaulting her.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has revealed that the club follow Morrison's
twitter account to see what he's up to. He landed himself in trouble in
February last year after posting a homophobic threat and was fined £7,000 by
the FA. But trouble still stalks him, as, last week, he was involved in an
ugly on-field row with Under-21 team-mate Wilfried Zaha that was halted by
the interjection of team-mate Nathan Redmond.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
David Gold praises Ravel Morrison but warns not to follow path of Paul
Gascoigne and George Best
19 Oct 2013 22:30
The Mirror
Mike Hewitt
David Gold has told Ravel Morrison he's got the whole world in his hands –
but has warned the young star not to blow it. The West Ham co-owner thinks
Morrison can go from bad boy to poster boy after a man-of-the-match display
for England Under-21s earlier in the week. The 20-year-old has been tipped
to break into Roy Hodgson's World Cup squad after two recent jaw-dropping
goals for the Hammers and the Young Lions. But his bust-up with team-mate
Wilfried Zaha near the end of the European Championship qualifier against
Lithuania on Tuesday revived memories of a career plagued by disciplinary
problems and off-the-pitch issues. Gold said: "It's up to him now. He's 20
years of age and he can be anything. I truly believe we have a young genius
emerging. "He is such an exciting prospect for us. "He's gone past the
stage where people have told him you can be a star and it's now completely
100 per cent in his hands. That happens to a lot of players. "It happened to
Paul Gascoigne and to George Best. It was in their hands. Yes, they need
help in their teens. But once they are in their twenties – with Gascoigne,
Best and now Ravel – it's up to them."
Morrison was booted out of Manchester United last year and looked set to
leave Upton Park this summer. But he got his head down towards the end of a
season-long loan spell at Championship side Birmingham last term. He had a
furious confrontation with Zaha at the Under-21s match at Portman Road, with
Norwich midfielder Nathan Redmond having to act as peacemaker. But Gold
believes Morrison is now a reformed character – especially as he has great
support from his West Ham team-mates. The Hammers co-owner said: "He has,
obviously, had difficulties in the past. I've read that he's had
difficulties.
"But whenever I meet him and I see him, I believe he is a very sensible
young man. I believe all the troubles are behind him. We should stop seeing
him as a problem young man. He's not. He's level-headed, he's sensible, he's
charming. "We've got good people looking after him and out for him at our
club. West Ham United have a great tradition in doing this. "Joe Cole helps
him. He's got Mark Noble, who's come through the ranks. He's got Kevin
Nolan, the best captain in the Premier League in terms of man-management.
"Kevin has embraced him and there is this great camaraderie. He is in this
fantastic place. So it's now up to him."He's got Sam Allardyce and West Ham
is a great club for looking after its players."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, October 19
Daily WHUFC News - 19th October 2013
Manchester City match preview
WHUFC.com
A look ahead to Saturday's Barclays Premier League match against Manchester City
18.10.2013
WEST HAM UNITED v MANCHESTER CITY
SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER 2013
BOLEYN GROUND
KICK-OFF: 5.30PM
REFEREE: MICHAEL OLIVER
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
WELCOME TO OUR SPONSORS
West Ham United would like to welcome Saturday's Match Sponsors International Referral and thank them for their continued support of the Hammers.
IR acts as a professional partner for anyone looking for a reliable referral service. They assist forward thinking firms with the highest standards by providing new opportunities and helping them build international relationships.
For more information, visit www.international-referral.com
Introduction
• West Ham United welcome Manchester City to the Boleyn Ground in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday looking to follow up a tremendous 3-0 win away at Tottenham Hotspur last time out.
• The Hammers return home having last played on their own patch in a 3-2 win over Cardiff City in the Capital One Cup back on 24 September.
• In the Barclays Premier League however Sam Allardyce's side have lost their last two at the Boleyn Ground, a 3-2 defeat to Everton on their last appearance and a 1-0 loss against Stoke on 31 August.
• Only Chelsea and Southampton have conceded fewer goals than the Hammers in the league so far this season.
• West Ham United currently occupy 13th position in the table with Manchester City five points ahead in fifth.
• The Citizens have been travel sick so far in the Barclays Premier League this season and are yet to record an away win.
• Aston Villa and Cardiff City have both beaten Manuel Pellegrini's team with Stoke also holding them to a draw.
• Their last away trip in the league ended in a 3-2 defeat at Villa Park and their only away win of the season so far came against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League.
• Manchester City are the league's top scorers so far, racking up 17 goals in seven games thus far.
Team news
West Ham United
• James Collins is out of contention after picking up a hamstring injury on international duty with Wales.
• Andy Carroll and Alou Diarra are long term absentees whilst Carlton Cole could make an appearance after re-signing with the club.
• Jack Collison and Stephen Henderson are both out on loan at Championship side Bournemouth.
Manchester City
• Martin Demichelis is in contention to make his debut after recovering from a knee injury.
• Jack Rodwell is also hopeful of being involved after making his return in a Development Squad game on Wednesday.
• Vincent Kompany is unlikely to play after he was taken off after just 34 minutes in their last Premier League match.
Background
• West Ham United have played Manchester City on 94 occasions with the Hammers winning 35, losing 43 and 16 meetings ending as draws.
• The first meeting between the two sides came back on 26 April 1924 when a William Moore goal wasn't enough to prevent the Hammers losing 2-1 at the Boleyn Ground.
• Manchester City have lost just once in their last 12 meetings against the Hammers, winning eight and drawing three.
• West Ham United's biggest home and away victories over Manchester City both came in the same season - 1962/63. A 6-1 away Division One success on 8 September 1962 was followed by victory by the same scoreline here on 18 May 1963 - a result that relegated the Citizens.
• West Ham United have not scored more than one goal in any of their last 15 matches against Manchester City and have only done so once in the previous 20 meetings - a 2-1 FA Cup sixth-round win at the City of Manchester Stadium on 20 March 2006, when Dean Ashton netted both. Yossi Benayoun also started the game.
• The biggest crowd ever to witness a West Ham United versus Manchester City fixture at the Boleyn Ground was the 35,050 who turned out for a goalless Premier League draw on 21 September 2002.
• Tony Cottee is the only West Ham United player ever to score a hat-trick against Manchester City. His treble fired the Hammers to a 3-0 Premier League win at the Boleyn Ground on 17 December 1994.
• Peter Dobing scored hat-tricks for Manchester City in both Division One meetings with West Ham United in 1961/62.
• Manchester City have twice recorded 4-0 victories at the Boleyn Ground - both in the old Division One on 24 March 1962 and 6 December 1969.
Last time out
Tottenham Hotspur 0-3 West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
6 October 2013
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Tomkins, Reid, Rat, Nolan, Diame (Collins 80), Noble (O'Brien 90), Morrison, Vaz Te (J Cole 86), Downing
Subs not used: Adrian, Maiga, Jarvis, Petric
Goals: Reid 66, Vaz Te 72, Morrison 79
Manchester City 3-1 Everton
Barclays Premier League
5 October 2013
Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kolarov (Clichy 58), Kompany (Nastasic 34), Lescott, Fernandinho, Milner, Toure, Negredo, Aguero (Nasri 79), Silva
Subs not used: Richards, Dzeko, Navas, Pantilimon
Goals: Negredo 17, Aguero 45, Howard og 69
Previous meeting
Manchester City produced an efficient home performance to see off West Ham at the Etihad Stadium. Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure scored the goals to put the home side two up before Andy Carroll thrashed a last minute consolation past Joe Hart.
Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
27 April 2013
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien (Taylor 80), Reid, Collins, Demel, O'Neil, Diame, Nolan (C Cole 80), Vaz Te (Collison 66), Jarvis, Carroll
Subs not used: Henderson, Noble, Pogatetz, J Cole
Goal: Carroll 90
Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Toure, Barry, Silva (Milner 78), Nasri (Toure 87), Tevez (Garcia 84), Aguero
Subs not used: Pantilimon, Dzeko, Kolarov, Nastastic
Goals: Aguero 28, Toure 83
Head to head
Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
27 April 2013 - Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United
3 November 2012 - West Ham United 0-0 Manchester City
1 May 2011 - Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United
11 December 2010 - West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City
9 May 2010 - West Ham United 1-1 Manchester City
29 Sept 2009 - Manchester City 3-1 West Ham United
Overall record v Manchester City (all competitions) W 35 D 16 L 43
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2012/13 Premier League 10th (46 points)
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points - relegated to Championship)
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 to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Division One 4th (74 points)
Manchester City
2012/13 Premier League 2nd (78 points)
2011/12 Premier League 1st (89 points - champions)
2010/11 Premier League 3rd (71 points)
2009/10 Premier League 5th (67 points)
2008/09 Premier League 10th (50 points)
2007/08 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2006/07 Premier League 14th (42 points)
2005/06 Premier League 15th (43 points)
2004/05 Premier League 8th (52 points)
2003/04 Premier League 16th (41 points)
Old boys
• Carlos Tevez scored seven goals in 29 appearances during the 2006/07 season, helping West Ham United to stave off relegation from the Barclays Premier League by scoring the winner in a 1-0 final-day success at Manchester United. The Argentina striker netted 74 goals in 140 games for Manchester City before leaving for Juventus in the summer.
• Richard Wright signed for West Ham United in July 2007 following his release by Everton. The goalkeeper did not make a first-team appearance for the Hammers and, after being loaned to Southampton in March 2008, joined Ipswich Town in July of the same year. He is currently with Manchester City
• Other players to have turned out for both clubs include Tal Ben Haim, Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bridge, Ian Bishop, James Cumming, Justin Fashanu, Marc-Vivien Foe, Kevin Horlock, David James, Patrick Leonard, Steve Lomas, Trevor Morley, John Payne, Stuart Pearce, Trevor Sinclair, Paulo Wanchope and Mark Ward.
• Former West Ham United centre-back Malcolm Allison joined Manchester City as assistant manager in 1965. Under the guidance of Allison and manager Joe Mercer, the club enjoyed a sustained period of success, winning the Division One title in 1968, the FA Cup in 1969 and both the League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup in 1970. After taking over from Mercer in 1971, Allison resigned in March 1973, later returning to Maine Road for a second spell in charge between 1979 and 1980.
• Allison's former West Ham United team-mate John Bond took charge of Manchester City following Allison's departure in October 1983, remaining in charge until February 1983.
• One-time West Ham United left-back Stuart Pearce took charge of Manchester City between March 2005 and May 2007.
Referee
• The referee for Saturday's match is Michael Oliver.
• Oliver was introduced to refereeing by his father, Clive, at the age of 14. He quickly rose through the ranks and was promoted to the National List of referees in 2007.
• In 2007 he became the youngest referee to officiate at Wembley Stadium when he took charge of the 2007 Conference play-off final. He also went on to become the youngest fourth official for a Barclays Premier League match.
• The Oliver family enjoyed a referring double in 2009 when his father took charge of the 2009 League Two Play-Off final a day before he took charge of the League One play-off final.
• In August 2010 he was promoted to the Select Group of referees and soon became the youngest-ever Barclays Premier League referee when he took charge of Birmingham City versus Blackburn Rovers on 21 August 2010.
• Oliver last took charge of the Hammers in the Premier League on 17 March 2013 in a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
• On Saturday, Oliver will be assisted by Stuart Burt and Darren England, while the fourth official will be Jonathan Moss.
General information
• There are a limited amount of tickets available for this fixture. For all ticketing information click here.
• The weather forecast for Saturday's game is overcast with a chance of showers and a maximum temperature of 17C.
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Tactically speaking - Manchester City
WHUFC.com
An in-depth look at how Saturday's battle between the Hammers and Citizens could be won and lost
18.10.2013
Tactically Speaking
The Official Website takes an in-depth look at West Ham United winger Stewart Downing's outstanding deliveries, while also looking at how visitors Manchester City could line up on Saturday. Now that the international break is over, the Barclays Premier League resumes and WhoScored.com have analysed where West Ham United can win the game when Manchester City travel to the Boleyn Ground this Saturday tea-time. When Stewart Downing put pen to paper on a four-year deal to sign for the Hammers in August, the deal was viewed as a real coup for the club. The 29-year-old has consistently provided natural width on the flank for both club and country to offer a direct threat from out on the wing. While the wideman picked up an injury early into his West Ham career, his return to starting action coincided with the memorable 3-0 win over Tottenham last time out. Downing deserved his WhoScored.com rating of 7.43 that day, with no West Ham player executing more key passes (five) than the former Liverpool man.
The visit of Manchester City may be a daunting task, but with the confidence garnered as a result of the win at White Hart Lane, the team will be in a positive frame of mind for the encounter. The Citizens are yet to secure a league victory away from the Etihad Stadium this season, picking up just one point from a possible nine.
Sam Allardyce's side will aim to heap more misery upon City in the late kick-off on Saturday and Downing will be key to this. The winger has put in an accurate cross for the Hammers every 32 minutes, which is more regularly than any of his team-mates. In all, Downing has delivered 26 crosses in just five appearances, eight of which have successfully reached one of this team-mates. The England winger also completed 89 per cent of the 91 passes he has attempted - second only to Alou Diarra, who made just four passes during his sole substitute appearance.
Putting the ball into the box will be crucial if West Ham are to pressurise Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, who has made two direct errors that have led to goals this season. With Cardiff City scoring twice from corners in their own 3-2 home win over City earlier this term, Downing's crossing ability from open play and set plays could be crucial. City have not enjoyed their trips to east London in recent seasons, picking up only one win from their last five trips to the Boleyn Ground. In those games, the visitors have failed even to score on three occasions, including in last season's hard-fought goalless draw. West Ham have kept four clean sheets in seven matches so far - second only to Southampton (five) - so another low-scoring game could be in the offing. However, with Downing unleashing dangerous cross after dangerous cross from wide areas, the Hammers will be confident of breaking the deadlock against a City side that has kept just two clean sheets in seven league matches and conceded six goals in three away games. *WhoScored.com is a website and one of the fastest growing in the sports industry, specialising in the in-depth analysis of detailed football data. Follow @WhoScored on Twitter.
Manchester City
Probable starting XI
Hart
Zabaleta Nastasic Lescott Kolarov
Milner Fernandinho Toure Silva
Aguero Negredo
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has an embarrassment of riches available to him in terms of top-class international players in all positions.
So far this season, City have seemingly targeted the UEFA Champions League, with the Chilean opting to pick what many would consider to be his strongest XI for the continental competition. With an important trip to CSKA Moscow to come on Wednesday night, Pellegrini may opt for the same approach today.
However, in the light of away defeats at Cardiff City and Aston Villa, City will be anxious not to drop any more points on the road as they seek to maintain their Barclays Premier League title challenge. City have conceded six goals in three away games so far, having conceded just 19 in the same number of matches on their travels last term. The visitors' cause will not be helped by the absence of captain and centre-back Vincent Kompany, who has a thigh problem. His place is likely to go to Serbian Matija Nastasic, who had previously lost his starting role following an uncertain start to the season. Pellegrini opted for a more solid approach in City's most-recent Premier League game at home to Everton, drafting in Joleon Lescott at centre-back and fellow England international James Milner on the right-hand side of midfield. The decision paid off as the Sky Blues ended a run of two defeats with a 3-1 victory. While many managers have switched to a 4-3-3 formation in recent seasons, City usually line up in a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 formation - a tactic that saw them over-run by Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League recently.
Against Bayern, goalkeeper Joe Hart endured an evening to forget, but he will be between the sticks on Saturday after helping England to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in midweek. In front of him, Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandr Kolarov - who has made a team-high 13 interceptions in five games - started in the full-back positions against Everton. Zabaleta is an outstanding all-round defender and City's top tackler with 34 in seven matches. The Argentina international is also capable of contributing in attacking areas and has chalked up two assists already. Nastasic will play to the right of Lescott in the centre.
In midfield, Milner is likely to start wide on the right again. A hard-working player, the versatile Yorkshireman also possesses the ability to make and score goals with either foot.
On the opposite flank, Spaniard David Silva is a mercurial talent who also returned to the starting XI against Everton. The diminutive winger has played more key passes (14) than any other City player and will have to be watched carefully by Hammers right-back Guy Demel. The central midfield area will be populated by Brazilian Fernandinho and Ivorian powerhouse Yaya Toure. The athletic Fernandinho is a more defensive player who breaks up play and provides a shield in front of the back four. Alongside him, Toure is quick in thought and movement, strong in the air and on the ground and is capable of scoring goals from anywhere. The Ivorian has four league goals already this term.
Deep-lying forward Argentine Sergio Aguero has been City's best forward so far this term and has four league goals to his name too. Stocky, powerful and two-footed, Aguero has acceleration to burst past defenders and is razor sharp inside the penalty area. Ahead of him, Spain international Alvaro Negredo started against Everton. An all-round centre forward, Negredo has good technique, strength and movement and is capable of both running in behind and playing with his back to goal. The former Sevilla man has three league goals and two assists in seven appearances, illustrating his important role in the City side. Should Pellegrini change his forward line, he could opt for one of two Eastern Europeans. Bosnia and Herzegovina star Edin Dzeko is tall and strong and has unleashed more shots than any other City player (17), while Montenegrin Stevan Jovetic is shorter and more skilful and elusive. Other options include France pair left-back Gael Clichy and creative midfielder Samir Nasri, powerful England defender Micah Richards and lightning-quick Spain right winger Jesus Navas.
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Sky's Tyler cannot wait for City clash
WHUFC.com
TV commentator Martin Tyler is looking forward to the return of Barclays Premier League football
18.10.2013
Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler says nothing can be taken for granted in a season of surprises in the Barclays Premier League. As well as West Ham United's unforgettable 3-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur last time out, the first seven matchdays of the new campaign have seen a number of shocks, including West Bromwich Albion's win at Manchester United and Manchester City's own slip-up at Cardiff City. Now with the Hammers set to take on City on Saturday, Tyler is intrigued as to whether the odds can be upset once again. "I was fascinated by the West Ham win at Spurs in the last game," he told West Ham TV. "I know all about the rivalry and how much it means for the fans to get any sort of result against Tottenham. "To do it like that, and for West Ham to out-manouvre Tottenham tactically was a great achievement. Andre Villas-Boas is a clever manager, but all credit to Sam, the staff and the players for putting a plan into practice. "I know there have been a couple of home defeats, which is unusual for West Ham, their strength in the home games last season was very important to where the Club finished. "So after a good away win, the next thing you want to do is win at home and West Ham are playing a Manchester City who haven't won away. "There are lots of imponderables going into the game, which is what makes it such a fascinating match and why I'm delighted to be commentating on it."
Tyler has not commentated on a match at West Ham's home ground since a 2-2 draw with Arsenal in 2009, and he hopes this match will provide just as much drama. "I'm looking forward to the game enormously," he continued. "I look forward to every game, but this will be the first time I've done a West Ham game at the Boleyn Ground for four years, I think. That was a great game, with West Ham coming from two-down to draw 2-2 with Arsenal. "I don't get to choose my games, my bosses do that for me and it's just complete coincidence [that it has been so long]. "I have fantastic memories of West Ham - in my playing days I was in the same team as Ron Greenwood's son, so long before I was a journalist I'd get all sort of titbits about what was going on here. "So at the end of a week where England have qualified for the World Cup, to come to the Club which won the World Cup for England, as all West Ham fans know, it also feels appropriate."
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On this day - 19 October
WHUFC.com
Geoff Hurst scored a double hat-trick to sink the Mackems on this day in 1968
19.10.2013
Classic match
West Ham United 8-0 Sunderland
First Division
19 October 1968
Geoff Hurst ran riot against The Black Cats netting an incredible double hat-trick as the Hammers recorded a huge win on this day 45 years ago. Hurst stole the show with six goals of his own but Trevor Brooking and Bobby Moore also managed to get their names on the score sheet. The striker's haul helped to take him to an impressive 31 goals by the end of the season as he helped fire West Ham to an eighth place finish whilst Sunderland were well below them finishing 17th.
Complete record - 19 October
1929 Manchester City 4-3 West Ham United (Division One)
1935 Plymouth Argyle 4-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
1946 West Ham United 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Division Two)
1957 West Ham United 1-1 Doncaster Rovers (Division Two)
1963 West Ham United 4-2 Everton (Division One)
1968 West Ham United 8-0 Sunderland (Division One)
1974 West Ham United 1-0 Ipswich Town (Division One)
1985 West Ham United 4-1 Aston Villa (Division One)
1991 Oldham Athletic 2-2 West Ham United (Division One)
1996 West Ham United 1-0 Leicester City (Premier League)
2002 Sunderland 0-1 West Ham United (Premier League)
2004 West Ham United 2-0 Stoke City (Championship)
2008 Hull City 1-0 West Ham United (Premier League)
Played 13, Won 7, Drawn 3, Lost 3, Scored 30, Conceded 17
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Chadwell Chatter
WHUFC.com
Razvan Rat on reaching the FIFA World Cup Play-Offs, Andros Townsend and his new Ratmobile
18.10.2013
Hello everyone,
It has been a busy international break for me, as I have been away with my national team, Romania. The most important thing for us were the results and we are in the World Cup Play-Offs. For me personally, I was suspended for our first game but I went with the squad to Andorra to be together and to support them and we won 4-0. After that we came back to Bucharest for the game against Estonia and we were thinking all the time in our sub-conscious about the other match in our group between Turkey and Holland. A lot depended on that game because we needed Holland at least to draw. Then, if we won, we would finish second in our group. The most important thing was for us to win against Estonia and we got a penalty kick after half-an-hour and scored. We got a second goal and secured the win. In the middle of the first half, we heard the reaction of the public in the stand and knew that something positive for us had happened in Turkey, so that made us more comfortable on the ball and made it easier to manage the game. Now we are waiting for the Play-Off draw on Monday, where we can face Croatia, Greece, Portugal or Ukraine. It will be tough, but we go into it with a second chance to qualify and that's why football is beautiful because anything can happen. Even the smallest team can beat a better team, so we think we can do good things and big things in the Play-Offs.
Looking back at the game at Tottenham, first of all the result was amazing. I didn't expect my first London derby to have a very good end with a very good result. Personally, I was playing against Andros Townsend and he's a very good player, as everyone knows as he is playing for England. I did my best to stop him and it is up to you to analyse how I did against him! I did what I try to do every time - to play the best that I can and to stop my opponent. It doesn't matter what name they have. These days, teams play wingers on their opposite wing, with left-footers cutting inside from the right wing. This makes it more difficult for the left-back and the most difficult thing for a defender is when their opponent is two-footed. Then, you really don't know if he will go down the left side or the right side, so you have to be very careful and sometimes to feel or smell when and where he will go. You can be caught out sometimes but this is normal because you are playing against good players and big players.
On Saturday, I will face Manchester City and more than likely be directly up against James Milner or Jesus Navas. To be ready, first of all I will prepare mentally. Physically, we are all fit, so in football to be prepared mentally is the most important thing. Also, it's very important to analyse your direct opponent because each player has skills but also some movements that they are doing all the time. I will try to stop those movements and not let him make dangerous things for his team.
Finally, I have recently bought a new car and the lads have been having some fun at my expense! As you will know, I have been nicknamed 'Roland' because of the TV character Roland Rat, so the boys put some new number plates on the car with 'RAT 1' and 'ROLAND RAT' written on them, like the real Ratmobile!
My car is red, but the Ratmobile was pink and a bit slower, but it is nice. This is another opportunity for us to laugh and joke and have a good atmosphere in the team. If this makes a nice atmosphere in the team, it is fun for me also so I'm not upset about it. I really like these kind of jokes so they are OK by me!
I also found out this week that Guy Demel's middle name is Roland, but I am the famous one!
Come on you Irons,
Roland
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Chambers pleased after tough test
WHUFC.com
Leo Chambers was impressed with the Dev Squad as they stood up to the test against Cambridge United
18.10.2013
Leo Chambers was pleased with the way the Development Squad acquitted themselves after overcoming a strong Cambridge United side at the R Costings Abbey Stadium. Two goals from striker Elliot Lee saw the young Hammers claim a deserved win against the Skrill Premier outfit ,who named several first teamers among their starting XI. It was a test un-akin to that presented to Chambers and his team-mates in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League and the defender was pleased with how they met a physical challenge. He told West Ham TV: "To win 2-1 against a team who are top of the Conference represents a very good win for us. "Playing against men is a good experience for us physically and I think we coped well with that on Wednesday. "It's good for our development, as I said, playing against men, physically it's a big challenge for us and we did ourselves justice."
Chambers and the defence saw out a rocky spell after a Cambridge equaliser with 15 minutes left had cancelled out Lee's strike in the 36th minute. Lee's second strike of the game proved to be the winner in a match which the 18-year-old believes provided a good test for the team ahead of Monday's league encounter against Wolverhampton Wanderers. "When it got back to 1-1 they were on top of us but we coped with the pressure well which made us relax a bit and we saw the game out well once we'd got our second. "Wolves will play a similar way to how Cambridge played, quite direct at times but also try to play out from the back when they can. That's what Cambridge did and it will be a good test for us on Monday."
Chambers played the full 90 minutes at right-back, a position he has found himself playing in on two occasions for the first team this season, although he is equally adept at playing centre-back. Wherever he plays the composed defender is just happy to be in the team with competition for places rife amongst the Development Squad. He said: "I've been playing right-back for a few weeks now and I'll always play wherever the gaffer wants me to play. Now that I'm playing right-back I'm enjoying it there and wherever the game takes me I'll be happy. "The squad's quite strong at the moment. The gaffer, Nick Haycock, has got a big job on his hands with everyone fit. We've got Matthias coming back, Paul McCallum coming back as well so he's got a big squad to pick from. We're all fighting for a place and it's healthy for us."
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Cullen ready for Canaries
WHUFC.com
U18s vice-captain Josh Cullen wants a fourth straight win when the Hammers entertain Norwich City
18.10.2013
West Ham United Under-18s will go for a fourth consecutive Barclays U18 Premier League victory when they welcome Norwich City to Little Heath on Saturday morning. The Hammers have beaten Liverpool (5-0) at home before recording away wins at West Bromwich Albion (2-1) and Tottenham Hotspur (3-2) in recent weeks, with outstanding team performances being turned into nine points out of nine. While free-scoring captain Kieran Bywater has taken the headlines, the successes have been based on fine all-round displays from Steve Potts' side - a sentiment echoed by vice-captain and midfielder Josh Cullen.
"We started the season with a great victory against Manchester United and then we had a little bit of a rocky patch results-wise," explained Cullen. "The performances were there but it was just a case of not killing the games off or conceding sloppy goals or penalties with silly mistakes. "We knew if we cut them out that the run would come which we're on now. We started off with a fantastic 5-0 win over Liverpool and then we had two tough away games at West Brom and Tottenham and we've got over the line, which is what we're looking for. "I definitely think the games we've lost were little bits going against us and we knew it would change sooner or later. Against Liverpool, our finishing was brilliant and we scored five goals. We'd been working on hitting the net in training because we knew that once we started scoring, we'd start winning matches. "We had a little bit of luck at West Brom with a last-minute deflected free-kick which got us the three points, so it's changing and we just want to keep on performing and picking up three points and results to move us up the table."
Saturday sees West Ham welcome Norwich to Little Heath, with a number of the Canaries' squad having lifted the FA Youth Cup last season. As such, Cullen is expecting a testing 90 minutes. "They are always tough games against Norwich, especially when you go away and play them up there. They are always well organised and will put up a good fight, so we know it's not going to be easy. "We got a great result at Tottenham so now we need to come back to Little Heath and put in another good performance and, if we play as well as we know we can, getting a result shouldn't be a problem. "They won the FA Youth Cup last year and a few of the boys involved in that will be playing, so they're going to believe they can do well. We need to stick with what we're doing and the result will come, which I'm sure it will."
The U18s have players performing well all over the pitch - attacking midfielder Bywater has nine goals in nine games, forwards Jordan Brown and Djair Parfitt-Williams are also scoring, while defenders Reece Burke and Kyle Knoyle recently made their debuts for England at U18 level and Jamie Harney turned out for Northern Ireland U19s in their recent UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign. For former England U16 international Cullen, it has been a real team effort so far this term. "From the start of the season everyone has been performing well and the team has been doing well. It's been a case of people chipping in with the goals, even if Kieran has got the majority of them. He's done great, but everyone has been chipping in and the performances have been good from all the lads. "We want to keep moving on as a team. As long as the individual performances are there, then that will benefit the team."
Having seen Burke and Knoyle play for England and Harney for Northern Ireland, Cullen himself is eager to earn a recall to the England age-group squad.
"It's always a great achievement to be called up by your country, whatever age-group it is, but you've got to keep focusing on playing for your club. You can't get carried away and think about international football. "If you keep performing well for your club, you're going to get noticed and that will come with it. If the international thing starts up again, that would be great, but at the minute it's about putting the performances in for West Ham."
While the Barclays U18 Premier League is the youth team's bread and butter, they also have another important role to perform at West Ham - imitating the first team's next opponents. Cullen and company took pride in the Hammers' 3-0 win at Tottenham, as they had mimicked Andre Villas Boas' side in Sam Allardyce's training sessions in the lead-up to the match. "We don't really get told to impersonate a particular player, but we get told the style of football we're expected to play. We were impersonating Tottenham, so we were told to keep a high line because we knew that is what they do and playing in behind could be our strength, and that is where Ricardo Vaz Te's goal came from the ball in behind from Mark Noble. "I suppose we help them to get used to what they'll be up against and whether a team is going to be in their face or drop off and let us play. Then, when we've got the ball, we we get told to pass the ball or be a bit more direct and we try to carry that out as well as we can. "It's all about the first team getting three points at the weekend, so that's all we're worried about really, trying to help them out to get the result. This week, we'll be Manchester City and it'll be tough trying to replicate Yaya Toure but we'll try to do our best and help the first team to get another good result!"
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West Ham v Man City
By Simon Brotherton
Match of the Day commentator
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Upton Park Date: Saturday, 19 October
West Ham defender James Collins will miss out after suffering a hamstring injury playing for Wales in midweek. Striker Carlton Cole, who rejoined on a short-term deal last week, is not yet match fit. Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is still out with a thigh injury but could return next week. This game also comes too soon for summer signing Martin Demichelis, who continues to build up his fitness after a knee injury.
MATCH PREVIEW
While Tottenham fans will rightly be talking of the impact Andros Townsend has made for England over the past week or so, those of a claret-and-blue persuasion in the East End have a young talent of their own who's had quite a fortnight. "West Ham's win over Tottenham last time out was a superb result. But what Hammers boss Sam Allardyce tends to do after a win like that is to try to not lose for the next few games. And it might sound daft for a team that won 3-0 at White Hart Lane, but West Ham are short of firepower."
Ravel Morrison grabbed everyone's attention with a wonderful individual goal in West Ham's surprise 3-0 win over Spurs at White Hart Lane, and has followed it up with two eye-catching performances for Gareth Southgate's England Under-21 side The 20-year-old made his debut in the game with San Marino, and scored twice on Tuesday against Lithuania. Despite an on-pitch altercation with team-mate Wilfried Zaha, he does seem to have turned the corner in terms of tapping into the talent and potential we've all heard about since his time with Manchester United.
I'm intrigued to see what the rest of the season brings for him after making such a strong and promising start. This game's an interesting one, with West Ham off-colour at home recently and Manchester City less than impressive on the road up to this point. The Hammers have lost their last two league games at the Boleyn Ground while City have taken just one point from a possible nine on their travels. Nonetheless, the bottom line is that West Ham have struggled to score consistently, while City are the highest scorers in the Premier League going into the weekend so they'll fancy extending their unbeaten run over West Ham to seven matches.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
West Ham haven't won any of their last six league meetings with Manchester City (D2, L4) and have won just one of the last 12 (W1, D3, L8).
City are unbeaten on their last three visits to Upton Park (W1, D2).
West Ham
West Ham are aiming to avoid a third consecutive home league defeat.
West Ham have kept four clean sheets in their seven league matches but have also failed to score in four of their seven matches.
Mark Noble has created more goal-scoring chances than any other Premier League player this season (17).
Man City
City have a 100% home record in this season's Premier League but have picked up just one point from a possible nine away.
They have scored 17 league goals this season, more than any other team in the top flight.
City have won 28 and drawn two of the 30 Premier League games in which Sergio Aguero has scored.
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Joe Cole: England can win 2014 World Cup in Brazil
By Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport
West Ham midfielder Joe Cole believes England can win the World Cup next year with a team that "excites" him. Cole, 31, has 56 England caps and says he has not given up hope of being in Roy Hodgson's 23-man squad for Brazil. "I'm thinking England can go there and win it," Cole told BBC Sport. "I know the gaffer will want to play things down and rightly so, but it excites me because I think there is enough talent in the country." Former Chelsea and Liverpool player Cole has played in the last three World Cups and was part of a so-called "golden generation" which also included current skipper Steven Gerrard, Chelsea's Frank Lampard and former Manchester United midfielders David Beckham and Paul Scholes. But that team could not go beyond the quarter-finals, and Cole thinks the current crop will be free from the burden of expectation. He added: "Andros Townsend gets you off your feet and Daniel Sturridge is as good as any centre forward in the country at the moment, so there is no reason not to be positive. "I look to the emergence of those two, Raheem Sterling, Ravel Morrison and Ross Barkley. These kids are top, top players and they will go there with no baggage of expectations." England failed to make it past the second round of the last World Cup in 2010, and reached the quarter-finals in 2002 and 2006. Hodgson's side go into next year's tournament unseeded, having dropped to 17th in the Fifa world rankings earlier this year - their lowest standing for 12 years. They have since recovered to 10th. Cole, who last played for England when they lost 4-1 to Germany in second round of the 2010 World Cup, scored on the opening day of the Premier League season against Cardiff and could return to West Ham's starting line-up to face Manchester City on Saturday after a hamstring injury. He said of his own chances of going to Brazil: "I had a good start to the season but unfortunately injury struck again, but if I can keep myself fit, I still have plenty of confidence in my ability. But first things first, I just need to be playing regularly and playing well. "Playing in a Brazil World Cup would be the ultimate for any footballer. There would be nowhere else in the world you would want to be. It would be the pinnacle."
Reaching the World Cup has come at a time when the Football Association has set up a commission to improve the performance of England teams and assess whether the Premier League hinders their progress. Only 31% of players in the top flight are English compared to 72% when the Premier League was formed in 1992, while playing time for English under-21s has dropped to a new low. Solutions have ranged from issuing quotas for foreign players to the re-introduction of a national academy. But the Premier League has invested £320m into its Elite Player Performance Plan, which has graded academies across the country.
Cole, who was a graduate of the previous national academy at Lilleshall, which closed in 1999, said he would like to see something similar again. And having experienced football in France with Lille last season, he believes English football does not value the coaching of youngsters. He said: "Lilleshall was starting to bear fruit towards the end of its time. The likes of Wes Brown, Michael Owen, Scott Parker, Francis Jeffers, myself; there were regular players who came through and played at the top level. "It was like the Barcelona academy, they go and hoover up the best talent around Spain and put them all in the same place and they all bounce off each other. "I was basically a professional from 14 years old and I think it helped me become the player that I am."
Cole joined the West Ham academy before making his first-team debut aged 17. He added: "The biggest issue for me is that the coaching of under-8s to under-12s is still seen as a stepping stone. "I wouldn't imagine it's a massively paid job. I think in other countries, just from what I know, it is seen as a well-paid profession because you're developing them at the stage where they are most able to take in information."
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Billy Bonds on Harry Redknapp: exclusive
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th October 2013
By: Staff Writer
Coming on KUMB.com next week: a world exclusive as Billy Bonds talks about his relationship with Harry Redknapp for the first time. It's nearly 20 years since Hammers legend Bonds last spoke with his former best friend and assistant manager, following his acrimonious departure from Upton Park in August 1994.
Ever since Bonds, who previously captained United to FA Cup success in 1975 and 1980 has refused to discuss his sudden exit - or his relationship with Redknapp. Last week, Redknapp's new autobiography - in which he accused Bonds of running "a shambles" at West Ham and of being "a man out of time" - was serialised by the Daily Mail. And now the man affectionately known as 'Bonzo' by the claret and blue faithful has finally decided to end his two decade-long silence in order to set the record straight, in an exclusive interview for the KUMB Podcast. As well as his thoughts on Redknapp's new book, you'll find out what Bill really thinks about 1991 FA Cup semi-final referee Keith Hackett, West Ham's move to the Olympic Stadium and his view on Sam Allardyce and the current squad.
In the meantime, you may listen to the first part of our exclusive interview with Billy Bonds MBE in this week's episode of the KUMB Podcast.
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West Ham United v Manchester City
KUMb.com
Filed: Friday, 18th October 2013
By: Preview Percy
Preview Percy spent his week off laughing at Spurs. So no real change to any other week then really. He paused between giggles for long enough to write this though.......
Next up we play host to Manchester City at the Boleyn. Kick-off thanks to the tv chappies will be 5:30pm which means that those of us who attend from the Avram Grant Olympic Rest Home For The Bewildered will be cutting it fine to get back before Matron turns the electric fences on. Still, there's no engineering work in the area, the change of kick-off time seemingly having fooled those responsible for messing up people's travel plans.
Our opponents currently sit in 5th spot with 13 points from their 7 matches played thus far. Like last week's opponents it's not much of a return on the not inconsiderable investment that the owners have put into the plying staff. It's really been all Jekyll and Hyde. The good stuff has been saved for home where they've beaten Newcastle (4-0), Hull (2-0), the Salford lot (4-1), and Everton (3-1). They also stuck five past Whelan's whingers in the League Cup as well. Contrast that with their away form where they got beaten by Cardiff and Villa (both 3-2) between which matches they took a point from Stoke away. They've won one and lost one in the so-called Champions League, their last match being a rather humbling 3-1 reverse to Bayern Munich.
They changed the boss at the end of last term. Mancini was shown the door shortly after the Cup Final defeat to Wigan and he was replaced by the Chilean Manuel Pellegrini. As a player Pellegrini retired in 1984 at the age of 33, citing the unusual reason that, as a qualified civil engineer, he'd be of more use helping the country recover from earthquake damage. I'm sure it's only coincidence that he arrived in Manchester only a few months before they announced an expansion to their stadium though.
After spells coaching in Chile and Argentina he pitched up on this side of the Atlantic with Villareal, spending five years with the amusingly-monkiered "Yellow Submarines". His next move was not without its Redknapp-esque moments. On 31 May 2009, in response to speculation, he announced that nobody had spoken to him from Real Madrid, he was contracted to Villareal for the foreseeable and, with the season being over, he was now going to go on holiday. On 2 June 2009 he was unveiled as the new boss at Real Madrid. I'm sure the Redknapp comparisons end there though. I mean it's unlikely that various Pellegrini friends and relations were banging on the door of the Local "El Betto" or whatever they call the bookies over there to profit on the increased odds his denial will have prompted.
He lasted a little over a year at the Bernebau, being "released" following the club's failure to win the So-Called Champions League. Pellegrini was scathing over Real's transfer policy: "It's no good having the ten best guitarists in the world when you need a pianist. At Real we have the guitarists but they are no use if I ask them to play the piano". Real's board countered: "Maybe if the players had spent more time on the training field instead of dicking about with musical instruments we'd have won something" they probably didn't say.
He then spent a couple of years at Malaga who he guided to the knockout bits of the So-Called Champions League spending a shed load of euros en route. He left the beaches and palm trees for the delights of Manchester (as you do) with Malaga struggling for cash and bereft of European competition after falling foul of the Financial Fair Play rules. He wasted no time in getting to work spending City's petrodollars, with four major signings all unpacked and on the training ground by the end of July.
In came winger Navas for £17m from Seville. Navas's given name is Jesus but you can make up your own punchlines regarding how good he is with crosses.
Another £20.6m went on forward Negrado, a forward of more direct style than they've been used to up there in recent years. His first name is Alvaro and if you can get a punchline out of that good luck to you.
In midfield they brought in Brazilian Fernandinho, whose first name ought to be Rio, but isn't.. He was one of those Brazilians who beat a path to Eastern Europe, spending 8 years or so in the employ of Shaktar Donetsk before turning up at the City Of Manchester Stadium for a cool £30m – their most expensive acquisition of the last window. He's a defensive midfielder who commutes between the two boxes and has apparently got a bit of a shot on him.
Further options in attack arrived in the form of Steven Jovetic. The so-called "Montenegran Baggio" cost £22m from Fiorentina and can either play as an out and out striker or in a slightly withdrawn role.
With all that money chucked around (still a lot less than Spurs ho ho) the £4.2m outlay on Argentinian centre half Martin Dimichelis is the sort of stuff they probably found down the back of the sofa in the players' bar. At 32 Dimichelis is clearly there to provide cover for the likes of Kompany and, er, company. So the fact that he has a knee injury at the precise time as Kompany is injured must be a tad annoying. Kompany, however, would appear to have made a spectacular recovery from a nasty muscle tear sustained in the pre-break win over Everton, and his presence this weekend cannot be totally be ruled out.
Going through the out door have been Gareth Barry – on loan to Everton – and some chap called Tevez. When Tevez arrived in the country Sheffield United had somehow bludgeoned their way into the top flight. With them sitting at a more realistic bottom of the third tier clearly Carlos's presence in England was no longer required, what with him having been sent to this country charged with the specific task of getting them relegated. Or alternatively Sheffield United were a two bob outfit who weren't good enough to be in the league in the first place and, having proved the fact beyond all reasonable doubt, who ought to repay the £25m they conned out of our previous owners with interest. Or maybe we could sue Lord Griffiths.
In goal Joe Hart has been copping a bit of stick of late. There have been a few high-profile errors in recent matches. I believe I mentioned in a previous preview that he's probably not as good as everyone was saying at the time. Conversely, he's not as bad as the same pundits are making out twelve months later, though he has shown a certain penchant for getting beaten at the near post.
Incidentally David Silva is a talented Spanish international footballer who was once described by Carlos Tevez as the "best player we ever signed" and not (as we managed to convince some passing Tottenham fans) a tribute act who goes about doing personal appearances in the guise of our co-chairman.
And so to us. Well I'm glad that our last match had a break after it. It's so difficult to write previews through hysterical laughter. The nearest chemists to the Rest Home have run out of linement, so many of us have aching sides after the 3-0 win at what wags are already calling the 0-3 Arena. We were well worth the points as well – this was no bus-parking smash and grab exercise.
There is, of course, a down side to all this. The high-profile nature of the win meant that suddenly people have started to notice both Winston Reid and Ravel Morrison – particularly Morrison who followed his marvellous goal at three-point Lane with a couple of fine performances for the England U21s. Typically the papers chose to pick up on his spat with Zaha rather than his two goals against Lithuania.
Reid's performance, though less publicised than that of Morrison, was none the less impressive. Scoring the first (did I mention that we got three?) his performance in the "day job" at the back was one of strength and composure, leading at least one of the proper papers to refer to the Kiwi as "the Premier League's most underrated defender". To which I say "No he isn't. Nothing to see here. Titus Bramble's still about somewhere". (That'll confuse the vultures for a while).
Reid's central defensive partner James Tomkins also had a decent 90mins and would have retained his place even had James Collins (restored to the Wales side now that their intellectually-challenged manager has worked out how to do a proper call-up) not done his hamstring in during midweek.
We have a new/old signing to welcome back as well. Carlton Cole has (eventually) done enough on the fitness side of things to earn himself a short-term deal. How much we see of him this weekend will depend partly on whether or not Mr Allardyce sticks with the system that left Spurs' players as confused on the pitch as their supporters always seem to be off it. Cole is said to still be a couple of behind closed doors friendlies away from serious consideration so Petric will probably be in pole position should we opt to field a traditional striker. Otherwise, Collins apart, it's almost a full squad to select from – Carroll and Diarra are the usual suspects clogging up the treatment suites.
Prediction? Well of course optimism is at its height at the moment – though I would urge a spot of caution. After all it's not like we beat anyone any good yet is it? However there ought to be a decent mood about the place – it was an all too rare away win after all. After consideration,I think that I'll be spending the Avram Grant Olympic Rest Home For The Bewildered's collection to buy Mr Howlett a disposable razor (£2.50) on a 1-0 home win, in time for us to sneak back into the home through the secret tunnel we always use when Matron's in a bad mood.
Enjoy the game!
When Last We Met At The Boleyn – Drew 0-0. Another Saturday evening match saw us battle to a draw, though we did have a perfectly good goal by Nolan disallowed because he was only two yards onside.
Referee: Michael Oliver – One of the younger referees – last seen chalking off a goal scored by Andy Carroll at Stamford Bridge. Doesn't do to upset Roman does it.
Danger Man: Sergio Aguero – tricky cove who was the subject of a "we hope you die" banner from the delightful support at Atletico Madrid. Will never have to buy a a beer in Manchester again.
Daft Fact Of The Week: Former City favourite Mike Summerbee appeared in the so-bad-it's-wonderful WII film "Escape To Victory" alongside his good friend Bobby Moore. It was Summerbee who was charged with having to utter the infamous "we can still win this" speech when the Allies were "only 4-1 down" at half time in a match with a bent ref. Unsurprisingly, Summerbee and the other players involved kept bursting into fits of laughter every time he tried to make the speech. Sylvester Stallone (who spent the whole movie being out acted by a set of goalposts) was said to be "unamused".
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More Redknapp claims denied
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th October 2013
By: Staff Writer
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has become the latest member of the footballing fraternity to question the validity of Harry Redknapp's new autobiography. Already this week both Billy Bonds - speaking in an exclusive Podcast interview with KUMB.com - and former club captain Julian Dicks have dismissed sections of the former West Ham manager's new book as having little in common with actual events. And now Rodgers has denied claims by Redknapp that he was set to follow him into the England set-up, should Redknapp be offered the managerial post (which eventually went instead to current incumbant Roy Hodgson). Speaking in his book, which was recently serialised by the Daily Mail, Redknapp insisted: "If I had become the England manager I would have taken Brendan Rodgers as my No 2. He was up for it. "If I got the job, he said, he would speak to the people at Swansea to get their permission. But it didn't work out." However Rodgers himself paints a distinctly different picture. Speaking to ITV Sport, he said: "That April, when I was manager at Swansea, Harry had asked me after the game when we played. "It was a unique conversation because he was obviously very confident - as was the nation - he was going to be offered the national team job. It was a quick conversation. I was aware he was very keen for me to team up with him if he was given the role. "But there was no decision either way. Out of the respect I have for Harry I was going to consider it."
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Carroll to confound predictions?
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th October 2013
By: Staff Writer
Andy Carroll could be back in action as early as next month, according to fresh reports. Hugh Southon, writing for Sports Direct News believes that the England international may be back as early as mid-November, despite most reports hinting at a December return. According to Southon, the trip to Norwich three weeks from now is a possible target - although the London derby with Chelsea on 23rd November is a more likely prospect. "It's good news all the way at the moment," said a source. "He's happy and making a very good recovery indeed."
Meanwhile Sam Allardyce believes that Carroll, who is now back in basic training, will be motivated by England's qualification for next summer's World Cup Finals. "I think that the Andy Carrolls of this world will want to get fit and play well for West Ham as soon as he can," said Big Sam. "It will be at the back of his mind that the World Cup is coming and he wants to be a part of that squad. "He forged his way into the England set-up with his performances at the back end of last season after maintaining his fitness. Now he's got this unfortunate injury but hopefully he can be a part of it as well.
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Sam Allardyce hopes Manchester City endure another bad away day
Last Updated: October 18, 2013 4:46pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce admits West Ham will take confidence from Manchester City's stuttering away form ahead of Saturday's match at Upton Park. The Hammers head into the game on a high after the 3-0 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane before the international break. Manuel Pellegrini's men won at home against Everton in their last match, but have suffered problems on the road, losing at Cardiff and Aston Villa. Allardyce is fully aware of this frailty and hopes the Hammers can take full advantage. "In terms of results they've been a little bit Jekyll and Hyde," he said. "[They are] absolutely fantastic at home and unfortunately for them they've not won away from home yet - lost two and drawn one. "We have to be encouraged by that. Last year we had a fantastic 0-0 against them."
The absence of James Collins, who suffered a hamstring injury on international duty with Wales, has left Allardyce with a defensive headache. Winston Reid and James Tomkins are the only fit centre-backs and Allardyce admits his squad has been stretched to the limit. "I am concerned about the fact that we only run with three centre-halves," he said. "So James being out is a particular problem for me because I have to run with only two central defenders now, James Tomkins and Winston Reid, for however long it takes James to get fit again, that is my big concern. "He [Collins] has been excellent and he has been very unfortunate that I decided to leave him out. "It wasn't that he was playing badly it is just that I thought James [Tomkins] in the Cardiff game in the Capital One Cup gave a fantastic performance and that fantastic performance got him in the team."
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Sky Sports Vault
The Sky Sports Vault has been opened once more, enabling us to pick out another football classic from yesteryear for you to watch and enjoy once again. West Ham fans are in for a treat this week, as Tony Cottee recalls his timely treble against Manchester City back in December 1994...
By Jon Holmes - @jonboy79 | Last Updated: October 18, 2013 4:03pm
It's fair to say Tony Cottee's second coming at West Ham in September 1994 didn't get off to the best of starts. Having returned to the East End from Everton in a swap deal with David Burrows, Cottee was back on Merseyside just three days later for a Premiership match against Liverpool. Early in the second half, the 29-year-old was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Rob Jones - only for referee Paul Danson to allow play to continue. Cottee was incensed, but quickly back on his feet, and launched into Jones to reclaim the ball, clattering the right-back far worse than he had been clattered himself moments earlier. Despite profuse apologies, Cottee looked up to see Danson flourishing a red card, and trudged off down the Anfield tunnel - sent off for the first and only time in his career.
Cottee had come back to his roots at the calling of Harry Redknapp, in his first season in charge of the Hammers. With 10 men, they ground out a goalless draw at Liverpool that day, although the result still left them in the relegation places. The following Saturday, Cottee hauled them out by netting the only goal of the game against Aston Villa at Upton Park. Yet after serving his suspension, a dreaded drought set in - and a full three months later, Cottee was still searching for his next goal.
West Ham picked up the odd victory here and there - a 2-1 triumph at Chelsea, and home wins over Crystal Palace, Southampton and Leicester - but as the week before Christmas rolled around, Redknapp's team found themselves back in the drop zone. Cottee was toiling away in vain up front, while his team-mates also lacked firepower to an alarming degree. In total, the Hammers had only bothered the scoresheet 12 times in 18 league games.
"There was pressure on me because West Ham had signed me to score goals - and they just weren't going in," Cottee recalled to Sky Sports. "But I was really enjoying my time working under Harry. I found him a good manager and coach, and he was very patient with me. We had the players, but we just hadn't clicked as a team."
Visiting the Boleyn Ground that Saturday were Manchester City, riding high in sixth spot under Brian Horton, and boasting a formidable attacking triumvirate of Paul Walsh, Niall Quinn and Uwe Rosler. The City forwards had already plundered 21 Premiership goals between them by that stage of the season. They were expected to give a defence containing 36-year-old Alvin Martin a thorough runaround.
Understandably at that time of year, with household funds tight, the attendance dipped slightly - but the majority of the 17,286 crowd got their money's worth within the first 10 minutes. West Ham went for the jugular right from the kick-off, carving out several early chances, and when Andy Dibble could only parry a Cottee shot right back at the striker, he side-footed home to finally break free of those demons of doubt. And like the proverbial London bus, another goal followed in double-quick time. A raid down by the right by Tim Breacker, from a move originally instigated by Cottee in his own penalty area, ended in the latter turning cleverly in the area and scoring past a stunned Dibble.
Ian Bishop ran the game against his former club, while Dibble made several fine saves, but in the 57th minute, Cottee completed his hat-trick - running onto Bishop's excellent through-ball, taking on Alan Kernaghan and curling a left-footed shot in off the far post. "That first goal was a huge relief - you can see it etched on my face," said Cottee. "The second was a good team goal, and the third came from a great through-ball from Bish. It was a resounding victory.
"I loved playing with Bish because he was such a creative midfielder player. Being a City old boy as well, it added spice to the game from his point of view, and he played great that day."
Scoring hat-tricks was not unusual for Cottee - he had notched two trebles the previous season at Goodison - but this one stands out for him. "It's the only time I ever got a league hat-trick for West Ham at home," he noted, "so it's a very special memory for me."
Cottee's strike partner at the time was 6ft 4in Dutchman Jeroen Boere, who had bagged a brace the previous weekend to earn a 2-2 draw at Leeds. In Redknapp's recently-released autobiography, the former Hammers manager mentions the players' Christmas party that year. Organiser Dale Gordon hired minivans to ferry the players around and for reasons that are unexplained, Boere - known as 'Yozza' - set fire to the seats of one of the vehicles. The story quickly came to the attention of the press. "I was on one of the minibuses, but not the one that was potentially on fire!" said Cottee. "We ended up at a nightclub in Romford and we had a boxing ring with big boxing gloves, and people were launching themselves off the balcony... it was all in good fun, in the days when there were no mobile phones around to capture the images. Because Yozza had damaged the back of the minibus, the company put a claim in to the club. It became common knowledge and made the newspapers."
Such parties are seriously frowned upon nowadays, but the lifestyle and occasional drinking culture of players was under much less scrutiny in the early 90s. As Cottee explains: "We worked our socks off to win a football match, and it was a time when a bonus meant something - we used to celebrate and enjoy ourselves. It's just a different world now, because of the amount of money involved."
Only 13 goals are scored across eight Premiership fixtures. Leaders Blackburn draw 0-0 at Leicester, while second-placed Manchester United lose 2-1 at home to Nottingham Forest. The National Lottery completes its first month, having created seven new UK millionaires. 'Stay Another Day' by Walthamstow's finest East 17 is in a five-week stretch at the top of the UK singles charts. The box office tills ring for Sir Richard Attenborough's turn as Kris Kringle in a remake of 'Miracle on 34th Street'. Redknapp describes Boere as "a strange guy" and the tale of his life after leaving English football (he also played for Crystal Palace and Southend) is certainly unusual, and ultimately tragic. Boere went to play in Japan and after dinner with his wife Ann in a Tokyo restaurant one night in May 1999, he was attacked and stabbed by two men, resulting in the loss of an eye. He had to retire from playing and after a spell running a pub back in the East End, he became an estate agent in Marbella. Then news filtered through in August 2007 that he had been found dead, at the age of just 39, leaving behind Ann and a three-year-old son called Brandon. "Yozza was a typical Dutch boy, very confident in himself," remembers Cottee. "He was actually a good player when you played to his strengths, and I enjoyed playing up front with him. "I think he got in with the wrong crowd once he'd retired from football. He lost his eye in that one incident, and eventually he committed suicide which was horrible. We put on a fundraising dinner for the family - the footballing community looking after each other, which often happens."
Beating City took West Ham back up to 17th, but their struggles went on. They were still third from bottom in early March, but a 1-0 win at Arsenal kick-started a strong finish which saw them lose only two of their last 13 league games. They eventually finished 14th, five points clear of danger and a point ahead of City, who only won three league games for the rest of the season, leading to new chairman Francis Lee deciding to sack Horton and put his own man in charge. That man was Alan Ball; City were relegated the following season on goal difference, and would slide further down to the third tier before recovering.
"I ended up as top scorer with 13 goals, which was always my aim at the start of the season," added Cottee. "I got a calf muscle injury towards the end, so I missed some dramatic games, such as a win at Blackburn and the match that everyone remembers: the 1-1 draw with Manchester United on the final day, which stopped them winning the title. In terms of epic Sky moments, that's right up there with Aguero's clincher for Manchester City last year."
Cottee will be at Upton Park this Saturday night, hoping to see his beloved Hammers build on their win at Tottenham last time out, when Sam Allardyce pulled off a tactical masterstroke. "I'm guessing they might look to do the same formation," said Cottee. "Undoubtedly it was the formation that won them the game - they didn't play with a central striker, so it was effectively six midfield players, with four central and two wingers. "It was a tactic that worked very well. I know they're at home, but I think with it being against one of the big boys - Man City - I wouldn't be surprised if West Ham go for it again. I'm not a fan of that system because I love to see strikers on the pitch, but it was fantastically effective against Spurs. And if West Ham win without a forward, I'll be as delighted as everyone else."
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West Ham host Manchester City in Saturday Night Football
Last Updated: October 18, 2013 1:23pm
SSN
West Ham will hope to build on their shock win last time out when they host Manchester City in Saturday Night Football. The Hammers recorded an impressive 3-0 victory away to London rivals Tottenham, lifting them out of the Premier League relegation zone in the process. It was their first three-point haul since the opening day of the season, and was made possible by a brave tactical approach from Sam Allardyce that saw him field a starting line-up with no recognised striker.
Whether Allardyce employs the same tactics again against third-placed City remains to be seen, but with Andy Carroll still out injured and Mladen Petric and Carlton Cole still considered to be not fully match fit, the formation may be repeated. Centre-back James Collins, who came on a substitute at White Hart Lane, is definitely out, while City's Vincent Kompany - who lasted only 34 minutes of their 3-1 home win over Everton a fortnight ago - is definitely out with a thigh injury.
Last season's equivalent fixture ended 0-0, and with only Southampton and Chelsea boasting a better defensive league record than the Hammers this season, goals may be at a premium. However City will feel confident they can break down their hosts as they have already netted a league-high 17 goals in the campaign thus far.
Paul Merson's prediction
After Soccer Saturday a fortnight ago, poor Jeff was certain that Hartlepool were going to win the Performance of the Week after they won at Exeter - and then the next day West Ham went and smashed Tottenham 3-0 and topped them in my opinion. Nobody saw that coming - even the West Ham faithful - but I don't see them repeating that on Saturday Night Football. They played with no strikers and it worked in a game where nobody was giving them a chance, but I don't think it will work against City at home. They will be expected to take the game to them a bit more. City are still my tip for the title. They are strong all over and have got a big squad so I think they're best equipped. Vincent Kompany is injured, but West Ham aren't really a threat without Andy Carroll and might not play any strikers again so I think City will cope and keep a clean sheet anyway.
PAUL PREDICTS: 0-3
West Ham Badge West Ham
Last 6
Tottenham (a)0-3
Hull City (a)1-0
Cardiff (h)3-2
Everton (h)2-3
Southampton (a)0-0
Stoke City (h)0-1
West Ham defender James Collins will miss the visit of Manchester City on Saturday evening after suffering an injury on international duty. The 30-year-old was replaced just before the hour in Wales' 1-1 draw with Belgium in midweek and Hammers boss Sam Allardyce confirmed he has a hamstring injury. He joins Andy Carroll (heel) and Alou Diarra (knee) on the sidelines whilst Carlton Cole, who rejoined the club on a short-term deal last week, is not fit enough to be involved.
Man City Badge Man City
Last 6
3-1
1-3
A Villa (a)3-2
Wigan (h)5-0
Man Utd (h)4-1
Plzen (a)0-3
Defender Martin Demichelis is not yet ready to play, but is closing in on a first-team debut after pulling on a City shirt for the first time in the elite development squad's 2-2 draw with Rochdale on Wednesday. The Argentinian defender joined City at the start of September from Atletico Madrid but damaged knee ligaments in his first week of training. Captain Vincent Kompany (thigh) is definitely out, but like Demichelis he could be available next week. City's next fixtures are away to CSKA Moscow in the Champions League on Wednesday, and away to Chelsea on Sunday 27 October. Midfielder Jack Rodwell also played in midweek and has declared himself fit and available for Saturday's game.
Opta facts:
West Ham have kept four clean sheets in their last seven Barclays Premier League games; but have also failed to score in four of their seven matches.
Man City have lost just one of their last 12 Barclays Premier League meetings with West Ham (W8 D3).
Man City have won just 46% of their Premier League games without Vincent Kompany since his debut; compared to 58% with him in the side.
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West Ham striker Andy Carroll sets sights on spot in England squad
Last Updated: October 18, 2013 9:28am
SSN
West Ham striker Andy Carroll admits that England's qualification for the World Cup has spurred him on to return from injury. Carroll has been ruled out for an indefinite spell with a heel injury and was unable to play his part for England as they reached next summer's tournament in Brazil with a 2-0 win over Poland on Tuesday. The former Liverpool striker featured early in England's qualification campaign and hopes to stake his claim for a spot in the World Cup squad, but the Hammers will not rush the £15million summer signing back into action. Carroll knows he must first prove his fitness at club level before he can even think about earning an England recall. "The lads did a great job and it's brilliant that England will be in Brazil," he told the Daily Mail. "It also gives me something to aim at and, once I get back playing, I might have a chance of breaking back into the squad. "The first objective, of course, is to get back playing well for West Ham. I want to do that because they've been so supportive but if England follows, that would be good, too."
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All eyes on West Ham's Ravel Morrison against Manchester City to see what he does next
18 Oct 2013 22:30
The Mirror
He has scored sensational goals in his last two games for club and country - England Under-21s on Tuesday and for West Ham against Spurs two weeks ago.
So all eyes will be on red-hot Ravel Morrison on Saturday night to see whether he can make it a hat-trick against the flash-the-cash big guns of Manchester City. The 20-year-old talent has had his problems avoiding trouble with the police, a chequered history that finally saw him cut loose by Manchester United.
But Hammers manager Sam Allardyce saw the new-look Morrison coming months ago, when he sparkled in pre-season and scored in friendlies against Hamburg and Sporting Lisbon. Asked when he first saw signs that the boy was a bit special, Big Sam said: "Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. A little bit in Germany.
"We started him wide to see how he did - centre midfield might have been a little too much for him. Then he scored twice against Lisbon and we started to get a little excited. "Then we thought we'd feed him into the first team as soon as the opportunity came – which was the Capital One Cup."
Morrison has scored in both West Ham's games in that competition so far - victories over Cheltenham and Cardiff. And it was at that point that Allardyce started to see even more potential. But just as quickly as he has begun to impress, his issues resurfaced while he was busy scoring two goals for England's Young Lions against Lithuania on Tuesday - including one of pure class. Before the game was finished however, he became involved in an ugly on-field bust-up with Wilfried Zaha, raising questions once more about his ablity to mature. Allardyce added: "It's his finishing ability that's emerged, that we didn't think he had.
"He didn't score too much at Birmingham [on a season-long loan from the Hammers]. But he can finish as well as create. My job is to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't get carried away with all the good publicity he is getting at the moment. "I think that it's the individual that has to take control of himself. What we do is provide the support and the tools and the opportunity to develop as a person as well as a footballer. "Natural talent has no chance at being successful without it being developed - in every way, shape or form. "So we help develop his talent. He himself has decided that he is going to make himself a more mature person. He has certainly done that and it's because he has done that that he is now evolving that talent quicker than we possibly thought he would. "All I did was just encourage and watch to see what his growth was like. I don't bombard players too much with meetings or talks. The rest of the staff delegated to take up those duties, so he is talked to all the time. "When I talk to him I just ask him basically how he is. "My job is more about anything off the field rather than anything on it these days. That's where you get most of the problems that affects a player, on the field. "Off the field problems normally affect their in-house training then affect their performances on the pitch, not what generally happens on the training ground on a day-to-day basis because its all here for you. "Ravel is quiet and because he is a quiet lad we leave him to do what he is doing. But every day with the lads he joins in more and more and more with the banter that we have."
The Hammers are making provisions to ensure that the talented youngster is rewarded for his stunning start to the season with an improved deal in the new year. But Allardyce believes Morrison has more chance of sustaining his stunning resurgence if he ignores the finances and focuses on his football. Allardyce said: "It depends how Rav sees it. Does he see the development of football more important than the cash? "Hopefully Rav will think the development is more important. "Without development, he won't progress - you don't leave a great mathematician to evolve himself, do you? If he doesn't get the 10,000 hours in, he won't be a brilliant mathematician. "It's always the same, with sporting talent."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
A look ahead to Saturday's Barclays Premier League match against Manchester City
18.10.2013
WEST HAM UNITED v MANCHESTER CITY
SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER 2013
BOLEYN GROUND
KICK-OFF: 5.30PM
REFEREE: MICHAEL OLIVER
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
WELCOME TO OUR SPONSORS
West Ham United would like to welcome Saturday's Match Sponsors International Referral and thank them for their continued support of the Hammers.
IR acts as a professional partner for anyone looking for a reliable referral service. They assist forward thinking firms with the highest standards by providing new opportunities and helping them build international relationships.
For more information, visit www.international-referral.com
Introduction
• West Ham United welcome Manchester City to the Boleyn Ground in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday looking to follow up a tremendous 3-0 win away at Tottenham Hotspur last time out.
• The Hammers return home having last played on their own patch in a 3-2 win over Cardiff City in the Capital One Cup back on 24 September.
• In the Barclays Premier League however Sam Allardyce's side have lost their last two at the Boleyn Ground, a 3-2 defeat to Everton on their last appearance and a 1-0 loss against Stoke on 31 August.
• Only Chelsea and Southampton have conceded fewer goals than the Hammers in the league so far this season.
• West Ham United currently occupy 13th position in the table with Manchester City five points ahead in fifth.
• The Citizens have been travel sick so far in the Barclays Premier League this season and are yet to record an away win.
• Aston Villa and Cardiff City have both beaten Manuel Pellegrini's team with Stoke also holding them to a draw.
• Their last away trip in the league ended in a 3-2 defeat at Villa Park and their only away win of the season so far came against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League.
• Manchester City are the league's top scorers so far, racking up 17 goals in seven games thus far.
Team news
West Ham United
• James Collins is out of contention after picking up a hamstring injury on international duty with Wales.
• Andy Carroll and Alou Diarra are long term absentees whilst Carlton Cole could make an appearance after re-signing with the club.
• Jack Collison and Stephen Henderson are both out on loan at Championship side Bournemouth.
Manchester City
• Martin Demichelis is in contention to make his debut after recovering from a knee injury.
• Jack Rodwell is also hopeful of being involved after making his return in a Development Squad game on Wednesday.
• Vincent Kompany is unlikely to play after he was taken off after just 34 minutes in their last Premier League match.
Background
• West Ham United have played Manchester City on 94 occasions with the Hammers winning 35, losing 43 and 16 meetings ending as draws.
• The first meeting between the two sides came back on 26 April 1924 when a William Moore goal wasn't enough to prevent the Hammers losing 2-1 at the Boleyn Ground.
• Manchester City have lost just once in their last 12 meetings against the Hammers, winning eight and drawing three.
• West Ham United's biggest home and away victories over Manchester City both came in the same season - 1962/63. A 6-1 away Division One success on 8 September 1962 was followed by victory by the same scoreline here on 18 May 1963 - a result that relegated the Citizens.
• West Ham United have not scored more than one goal in any of their last 15 matches against Manchester City and have only done so once in the previous 20 meetings - a 2-1 FA Cup sixth-round win at the City of Manchester Stadium on 20 March 2006, when Dean Ashton netted both. Yossi Benayoun also started the game.
• The biggest crowd ever to witness a West Ham United versus Manchester City fixture at the Boleyn Ground was the 35,050 who turned out for a goalless Premier League draw on 21 September 2002.
• Tony Cottee is the only West Ham United player ever to score a hat-trick against Manchester City. His treble fired the Hammers to a 3-0 Premier League win at the Boleyn Ground on 17 December 1994.
• Peter Dobing scored hat-tricks for Manchester City in both Division One meetings with West Ham United in 1961/62.
• Manchester City have twice recorded 4-0 victories at the Boleyn Ground - both in the old Division One on 24 March 1962 and 6 December 1969.
Last time out
Tottenham Hotspur 0-3 West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
6 October 2013
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Tomkins, Reid, Rat, Nolan, Diame (Collins 80), Noble (O'Brien 90), Morrison, Vaz Te (J Cole 86), Downing
Subs not used: Adrian, Maiga, Jarvis, Petric
Goals: Reid 66, Vaz Te 72, Morrison 79
Manchester City 3-1 Everton
Barclays Premier League
5 October 2013
Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kolarov (Clichy 58), Kompany (Nastasic 34), Lescott, Fernandinho, Milner, Toure, Negredo, Aguero (Nasri 79), Silva
Subs not used: Richards, Dzeko, Navas, Pantilimon
Goals: Negredo 17, Aguero 45, Howard og 69
Previous meeting
Manchester City produced an efficient home performance to see off West Ham at the Etihad Stadium. Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure scored the goals to put the home side two up before Andy Carroll thrashed a last minute consolation past Joe Hart.
Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
27 April 2013
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien (Taylor 80), Reid, Collins, Demel, O'Neil, Diame, Nolan (C Cole 80), Vaz Te (Collison 66), Jarvis, Carroll
Subs not used: Henderson, Noble, Pogatetz, J Cole
Goal: Carroll 90
Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Toure, Barry, Silva (Milner 78), Nasri (Toure 87), Tevez (Garcia 84), Aguero
Subs not used: Pantilimon, Dzeko, Kolarov, Nastastic
Goals: Aguero 28, Toure 83
Head to head
Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
27 April 2013 - Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United
3 November 2012 - West Ham United 0-0 Manchester City
1 May 2011 - Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United
11 December 2010 - West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City
9 May 2010 - West Ham United 1-1 Manchester City
29 Sept 2009 - Manchester City 3-1 West Ham United
Overall record v Manchester City (all competitions) W 35 D 16 L 43
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2012/13 Premier League 10th (46 points)
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points - relegated to Championship)
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 to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Division One 4th (74 points)
Manchester City
2012/13 Premier League 2nd (78 points)
2011/12 Premier League 1st (89 points - champions)
2010/11 Premier League 3rd (71 points)
2009/10 Premier League 5th (67 points)
2008/09 Premier League 10th (50 points)
2007/08 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2006/07 Premier League 14th (42 points)
2005/06 Premier League 15th (43 points)
2004/05 Premier League 8th (52 points)
2003/04 Premier League 16th (41 points)
Old boys
• Carlos Tevez scored seven goals in 29 appearances during the 2006/07 season, helping West Ham United to stave off relegation from the Barclays Premier League by scoring the winner in a 1-0 final-day success at Manchester United. The Argentina striker netted 74 goals in 140 games for Manchester City before leaving for Juventus in the summer.
• Richard Wright signed for West Ham United in July 2007 following his release by Everton. The goalkeeper did not make a first-team appearance for the Hammers and, after being loaned to Southampton in March 2008, joined Ipswich Town in July of the same year. He is currently with Manchester City
• Other players to have turned out for both clubs include Tal Ben Haim, Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bridge, Ian Bishop, James Cumming, Justin Fashanu, Marc-Vivien Foe, Kevin Horlock, David James, Patrick Leonard, Steve Lomas, Trevor Morley, John Payne, Stuart Pearce, Trevor Sinclair, Paulo Wanchope and Mark Ward.
• Former West Ham United centre-back Malcolm Allison joined Manchester City as assistant manager in 1965. Under the guidance of Allison and manager Joe Mercer, the club enjoyed a sustained period of success, winning the Division One title in 1968, the FA Cup in 1969 and both the League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup in 1970. After taking over from Mercer in 1971, Allison resigned in March 1973, later returning to Maine Road for a second spell in charge between 1979 and 1980.
• Allison's former West Ham United team-mate John Bond took charge of Manchester City following Allison's departure in October 1983, remaining in charge until February 1983.
• One-time West Ham United left-back Stuart Pearce took charge of Manchester City between March 2005 and May 2007.
Referee
• The referee for Saturday's match is Michael Oliver.
• Oliver was introduced to refereeing by his father, Clive, at the age of 14. He quickly rose through the ranks and was promoted to the National List of referees in 2007.
• In 2007 he became the youngest referee to officiate at Wembley Stadium when he took charge of the 2007 Conference play-off final. He also went on to become the youngest fourth official for a Barclays Premier League match.
• The Oliver family enjoyed a referring double in 2009 when his father took charge of the 2009 League Two Play-Off final a day before he took charge of the League One play-off final.
• In August 2010 he was promoted to the Select Group of referees and soon became the youngest-ever Barclays Premier League referee when he took charge of Birmingham City versus Blackburn Rovers on 21 August 2010.
• Oliver last took charge of the Hammers in the Premier League on 17 March 2013 in a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
• On Saturday, Oliver will be assisted by Stuart Burt and Darren England, while the fourth official will be Jonathan Moss.
General information
• There are a limited amount of tickets available for this fixture. For all ticketing information click here.
• The weather forecast for Saturday's game is overcast with a chance of showers and a maximum temperature of 17C.
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Tactically speaking - Manchester City
WHUFC.com
An in-depth look at how Saturday's battle between the Hammers and Citizens could be won and lost
18.10.2013
Tactically Speaking
The Official Website takes an in-depth look at West Ham United winger Stewart Downing's outstanding deliveries, while also looking at how visitors Manchester City could line up on Saturday. Now that the international break is over, the Barclays Premier League resumes and WhoScored.com have analysed where West Ham United can win the game when Manchester City travel to the Boleyn Ground this Saturday tea-time. When Stewart Downing put pen to paper on a four-year deal to sign for the Hammers in August, the deal was viewed as a real coup for the club. The 29-year-old has consistently provided natural width on the flank for both club and country to offer a direct threat from out on the wing. While the wideman picked up an injury early into his West Ham career, his return to starting action coincided with the memorable 3-0 win over Tottenham last time out. Downing deserved his WhoScored.com rating of 7.43 that day, with no West Ham player executing more key passes (five) than the former Liverpool man.
The visit of Manchester City may be a daunting task, but with the confidence garnered as a result of the win at White Hart Lane, the team will be in a positive frame of mind for the encounter. The Citizens are yet to secure a league victory away from the Etihad Stadium this season, picking up just one point from a possible nine.
Sam Allardyce's side will aim to heap more misery upon City in the late kick-off on Saturday and Downing will be key to this. The winger has put in an accurate cross for the Hammers every 32 minutes, which is more regularly than any of his team-mates. In all, Downing has delivered 26 crosses in just five appearances, eight of which have successfully reached one of this team-mates. The England winger also completed 89 per cent of the 91 passes he has attempted - second only to Alou Diarra, who made just four passes during his sole substitute appearance.
Putting the ball into the box will be crucial if West Ham are to pressurise Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, who has made two direct errors that have led to goals this season. With Cardiff City scoring twice from corners in their own 3-2 home win over City earlier this term, Downing's crossing ability from open play and set plays could be crucial. City have not enjoyed their trips to east London in recent seasons, picking up only one win from their last five trips to the Boleyn Ground. In those games, the visitors have failed even to score on three occasions, including in last season's hard-fought goalless draw. West Ham have kept four clean sheets in seven matches so far - second only to Southampton (five) - so another low-scoring game could be in the offing. However, with Downing unleashing dangerous cross after dangerous cross from wide areas, the Hammers will be confident of breaking the deadlock against a City side that has kept just two clean sheets in seven league matches and conceded six goals in three away games. *WhoScored.com is a website and one of the fastest growing in the sports industry, specialising in the in-depth analysis of detailed football data. Follow @WhoScored on Twitter.
Manchester City
Probable starting XI
Hart
Zabaleta Nastasic Lescott Kolarov
Milner Fernandinho Toure Silva
Aguero Negredo
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has an embarrassment of riches available to him in terms of top-class international players in all positions.
So far this season, City have seemingly targeted the UEFA Champions League, with the Chilean opting to pick what many would consider to be his strongest XI for the continental competition. With an important trip to CSKA Moscow to come on Wednesday night, Pellegrini may opt for the same approach today.
However, in the light of away defeats at Cardiff City and Aston Villa, City will be anxious not to drop any more points on the road as they seek to maintain their Barclays Premier League title challenge. City have conceded six goals in three away games so far, having conceded just 19 in the same number of matches on their travels last term. The visitors' cause will not be helped by the absence of captain and centre-back Vincent Kompany, who has a thigh problem. His place is likely to go to Serbian Matija Nastasic, who had previously lost his starting role following an uncertain start to the season. Pellegrini opted for a more solid approach in City's most-recent Premier League game at home to Everton, drafting in Joleon Lescott at centre-back and fellow England international James Milner on the right-hand side of midfield. The decision paid off as the Sky Blues ended a run of two defeats with a 3-1 victory. While many managers have switched to a 4-3-3 formation in recent seasons, City usually line up in a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 formation - a tactic that saw them over-run by Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League recently.
Against Bayern, goalkeeper Joe Hart endured an evening to forget, but he will be between the sticks on Saturday after helping England to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in midweek. In front of him, Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandr Kolarov - who has made a team-high 13 interceptions in five games - started in the full-back positions against Everton. Zabaleta is an outstanding all-round defender and City's top tackler with 34 in seven matches. The Argentina international is also capable of contributing in attacking areas and has chalked up two assists already. Nastasic will play to the right of Lescott in the centre.
In midfield, Milner is likely to start wide on the right again. A hard-working player, the versatile Yorkshireman also possesses the ability to make and score goals with either foot.
On the opposite flank, Spaniard David Silva is a mercurial talent who also returned to the starting XI against Everton. The diminutive winger has played more key passes (14) than any other City player and will have to be watched carefully by Hammers right-back Guy Demel. The central midfield area will be populated by Brazilian Fernandinho and Ivorian powerhouse Yaya Toure. The athletic Fernandinho is a more defensive player who breaks up play and provides a shield in front of the back four. Alongside him, Toure is quick in thought and movement, strong in the air and on the ground and is capable of scoring goals from anywhere. The Ivorian has four league goals already this term.
Deep-lying forward Argentine Sergio Aguero has been City's best forward so far this term and has four league goals to his name too. Stocky, powerful and two-footed, Aguero has acceleration to burst past defenders and is razor sharp inside the penalty area. Ahead of him, Spain international Alvaro Negredo started against Everton. An all-round centre forward, Negredo has good technique, strength and movement and is capable of both running in behind and playing with his back to goal. The former Sevilla man has three league goals and two assists in seven appearances, illustrating his important role in the City side. Should Pellegrini change his forward line, he could opt for one of two Eastern Europeans. Bosnia and Herzegovina star Edin Dzeko is tall and strong and has unleashed more shots than any other City player (17), while Montenegrin Stevan Jovetic is shorter and more skilful and elusive. Other options include France pair left-back Gael Clichy and creative midfielder Samir Nasri, powerful England defender Micah Richards and lightning-quick Spain right winger Jesus Navas.
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Sky's Tyler cannot wait for City clash
WHUFC.com
TV commentator Martin Tyler is looking forward to the return of Barclays Premier League football
18.10.2013
Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler says nothing can be taken for granted in a season of surprises in the Barclays Premier League. As well as West Ham United's unforgettable 3-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur last time out, the first seven matchdays of the new campaign have seen a number of shocks, including West Bromwich Albion's win at Manchester United and Manchester City's own slip-up at Cardiff City. Now with the Hammers set to take on City on Saturday, Tyler is intrigued as to whether the odds can be upset once again. "I was fascinated by the West Ham win at Spurs in the last game," he told West Ham TV. "I know all about the rivalry and how much it means for the fans to get any sort of result against Tottenham. "To do it like that, and for West Ham to out-manouvre Tottenham tactically was a great achievement. Andre Villas-Boas is a clever manager, but all credit to Sam, the staff and the players for putting a plan into practice. "I know there have been a couple of home defeats, which is unusual for West Ham, their strength in the home games last season was very important to where the Club finished. "So after a good away win, the next thing you want to do is win at home and West Ham are playing a Manchester City who haven't won away. "There are lots of imponderables going into the game, which is what makes it such a fascinating match and why I'm delighted to be commentating on it."
Tyler has not commentated on a match at West Ham's home ground since a 2-2 draw with Arsenal in 2009, and he hopes this match will provide just as much drama. "I'm looking forward to the game enormously," he continued. "I look forward to every game, but this will be the first time I've done a West Ham game at the Boleyn Ground for four years, I think. That was a great game, with West Ham coming from two-down to draw 2-2 with Arsenal. "I don't get to choose my games, my bosses do that for me and it's just complete coincidence [that it has been so long]. "I have fantastic memories of West Ham - in my playing days I was in the same team as Ron Greenwood's son, so long before I was a journalist I'd get all sort of titbits about what was going on here. "So at the end of a week where England have qualified for the World Cup, to come to the Club which won the World Cup for England, as all West Ham fans know, it also feels appropriate."
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On this day - 19 October
WHUFC.com
Geoff Hurst scored a double hat-trick to sink the Mackems on this day in 1968
19.10.2013
Classic match
West Ham United 8-0 Sunderland
First Division
19 October 1968
Geoff Hurst ran riot against The Black Cats netting an incredible double hat-trick as the Hammers recorded a huge win on this day 45 years ago. Hurst stole the show with six goals of his own but Trevor Brooking and Bobby Moore also managed to get their names on the score sheet. The striker's haul helped to take him to an impressive 31 goals by the end of the season as he helped fire West Ham to an eighth place finish whilst Sunderland were well below them finishing 17th.
Complete record - 19 October
1929 Manchester City 4-3 West Ham United (Division One)
1935 Plymouth Argyle 4-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
1946 West Ham United 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Division Two)
1957 West Ham United 1-1 Doncaster Rovers (Division Two)
1963 West Ham United 4-2 Everton (Division One)
1968 West Ham United 8-0 Sunderland (Division One)
1974 West Ham United 1-0 Ipswich Town (Division One)
1985 West Ham United 4-1 Aston Villa (Division One)
1991 Oldham Athletic 2-2 West Ham United (Division One)
1996 West Ham United 1-0 Leicester City (Premier League)
2002 Sunderland 0-1 West Ham United (Premier League)
2004 West Ham United 2-0 Stoke City (Championship)
2008 Hull City 1-0 West Ham United (Premier League)
Played 13, Won 7, Drawn 3, Lost 3, Scored 30, Conceded 17
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Chadwell Chatter
WHUFC.com
Razvan Rat on reaching the FIFA World Cup Play-Offs, Andros Townsend and his new Ratmobile
18.10.2013
Hello everyone,
It has been a busy international break for me, as I have been away with my national team, Romania. The most important thing for us were the results and we are in the World Cup Play-Offs. For me personally, I was suspended for our first game but I went with the squad to Andorra to be together and to support them and we won 4-0. After that we came back to Bucharest for the game against Estonia and we were thinking all the time in our sub-conscious about the other match in our group between Turkey and Holland. A lot depended on that game because we needed Holland at least to draw. Then, if we won, we would finish second in our group. The most important thing was for us to win against Estonia and we got a penalty kick after half-an-hour and scored. We got a second goal and secured the win. In the middle of the first half, we heard the reaction of the public in the stand and knew that something positive for us had happened in Turkey, so that made us more comfortable on the ball and made it easier to manage the game. Now we are waiting for the Play-Off draw on Monday, where we can face Croatia, Greece, Portugal or Ukraine. It will be tough, but we go into it with a second chance to qualify and that's why football is beautiful because anything can happen. Even the smallest team can beat a better team, so we think we can do good things and big things in the Play-Offs.
Looking back at the game at Tottenham, first of all the result was amazing. I didn't expect my first London derby to have a very good end with a very good result. Personally, I was playing against Andros Townsend and he's a very good player, as everyone knows as he is playing for England. I did my best to stop him and it is up to you to analyse how I did against him! I did what I try to do every time - to play the best that I can and to stop my opponent. It doesn't matter what name they have. These days, teams play wingers on their opposite wing, with left-footers cutting inside from the right wing. This makes it more difficult for the left-back and the most difficult thing for a defender is when their opponent is two-footed. Then, you really don't know if he will go down the left side or the right side, so you have to be very careful and sometimes to feel or smell when and where he will go. You can be caught out sometimes but this is normal because you are playing against good players and big players.
On Saturday, I will face Manchester City and more than likely be directly up against James Milner or Jesus Navas. To be ready, first of all I will prepare mentally. Physically, we are all fit, so in football to be prepared mentally is the most important thing. Also, it's very important to analyse your direct opponent because each player has skills but also some movements that they are doing all the time. I will try to stop those movements and not let him make dangerous things for his team.
Finally, I have recently bought a new car and the lads have been having some fun at my expense! As you will know, I have been nicknamed 'Roland' because of the TV character Roland Rat, so the boys put some new number plates on the car with 'RAT 1' and 'ROLAND RAT' written on them, like the real Ratmobile!
My car is red, but the Ratmobile was pink and a bit slower, but it is nice. This is another opportunity for us to laugh and joke and have a good atmosphere in the team. If this makes a nice atmosphere in the team, it is fun for me also so I'm not upset about it. I really like these kind of jokes so they are OK by me!
I also found out this week that Guy Demel's middle name is Roland, but I am the famous one!
Come on you Irons,
Roland
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Chambers pleased after tough test
WHUFC.com
Leo Chambers was impressed with the Dev Squad as they stood up to the test against Cambridge United
18.10.2013
Leo Chambers was pleased with the way the Development Squad acquitted themselves after overcoming a strong Cambridge United side at the R Costings Abbey Stadium. Two goals from striker Elliot Lee saw the young Hammers claim a deserved win against the Skrill Premier outfit ,who named several first teamers among their starting XI. It was a test un-akin to that presented to Chambers and his team-mates in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League and the defender was pleased with how they met a physical challenge. He told West Ham TV: "To win 2-1 against a team who are top of the Conference represents a very good win for us. "Playing against men is a good experience for us physically and I think we coped well with that on Wednesday. "It's good for our development, as I said, playing against men, physically it's a big challenge for us and we did ourselves justice."
Chambers and the defence saw out a rocky spell after a Cambridge equaliser with 15 minutes left had cancelled out Lee's strike in the 36th minute. Lee's second strike of the game proved to be the winner in a match which the 18-year-old believes provided a good test for the team ahead of Monday's league encounter against Wolverhampton Wanderers. "When it got back to 1-1 they were on top of us but we coped with the pressure well which made us relax a bit and we saw the game out well once we'd got our second. "Wolves will play a similar way to how Cambridge played, quite direct at times but also try to play out from the back when they can. That's what Cambridge did and it will be a good test for us on Monday."
Chambers played the full 90 minutes at right-back, a position he has found himself playing in on two occasions for the first team this season, although he is equally adept at playing centre-back. Wherever he plays the composed defender is just happy to be in the team with competition for places rife amongst the Development Squad. He said: "I've been playing right-back for a few weeks now and I'll always play wherever the gaffer wants me to play. Now that I'm playing right-back I'm enjoying it there and wherever the game takes me I'll be happy. "The squad's quite strong at the moment. The gaffer, Nick Haycock, has got a big job on his hands with everyone fit. We've got Matthias coming back, Paul McCallum coming back as well so he's got a big squad to pick from. We're all fighting for a place and it's healthy for us."
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Cullen ready for Canaries
WHUFC.com
U18s vice-captain Josh Cullen wants a fourth straight win when the Hammers entertain Norwich City
18.10.2013
West Ham United Under-18s will go for a fourth consecutive Barclays U18 Premier League victory when they welcome Norwich City to Little Heath on Saturday morning. The Hammers have beaten Liverpool (5-0) at home before recording away wins at West Bromwich Albion (2-1) and Tottenham Hotspur (3-2) in recent weeks, with outstanding team performances being turned into nine points out of nine. While free-scoring captain Kieran Bywater has taken the headlines, the successes have been based on fine all-round displays from Steve Potts' side - a sentiment echoed by vice-captain and midfielder Josh Cullen.
"We started the season with a great victory against Manchester United and then we had a little bit of a rocky patch results-wise," explained Cullen. "The performances were there but it was just a case of not killing the games off or conceding sloppy goals or penalties with silly mistakes. "We knew if we cut them out that the run would come which we're on now. We started off with a fantastic 5-0 win over Liverpool and then we had two tough away games at West Brom and Tottenham and we've got over the line, which is what we're looking for. "I definitely think the games we've lost were little bits going against us and we knew it would change sooner or later. Against Liverpool, our finishing was brilliant and we scored five goals. We'd been working on hitting the net in training because we knew that once we started scoring, we'd start winning matches. "We had a little bit of luck at West Brom with a last-minute deflected free-kick which got us the three points, so it's changing and we just want to keep on performing and picking up three points and results to move us up the table."
Saturday sees West Ham welcome Norwich to Little Heath, with a number of the Canaries' squad having lifted the FA Youth Cup last season. As such, Cullen is expecting a testing 90 minutes. "They are always tough games against Norwich, especially when you go away and play them up there. They are always well organised and will put up a good fight, so we know it's not going to be easy. "We got a great result at Tottenham so now we need to come back to Little Heath and put in another good performance and, if we play as well as we know we can, getting a result shouldn't be a problem. "They won the FA Youth Cup last year and a few of the boys involved in that will be playing, so they're going to believe they can do well. We need to stick with what we're doing and the result will come, which I'm sure it will."
The U18s have players performing well all over the pitch - attacking midfielder Bywater has nine goals in nine games, forwards Jordan Brown and Djair Parfitt-Williams are also scoring, while defenders Reece Burke and Kyle Knoyle recently made their debuts for England at U18 level and Jamie Harney turned out for Northern Ireland U19s in their recent UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign. For former England U16 international Cullen, it has been a real team effort so far this term. "From the start of the season everyone has been performing well and the team has been doing well. It's been a case of people chipping in with the goals, even if Kieran has got the majority of them. He's done great, but everyone has been chipping in and the performances have been good from all the lads. "We want to keep moving on as a team. As long as the individual performances are there, then that will benefit the team."
Having seen Burke and Knoyle play for England and Harney for Northern Ireland, Cullen himself is eager to earn a recall to the England age-group squad.
"It's always a great achievement to be called up by your country, whatever age-group it is, but you've got to keep focusing on playing for your club. You can't get carried away and think about international football. "If you keep performing well for your club, you're going to get noticed and that will come with it. If the international thing starts up again, that would be great, but at the minute it's about putting the performances in for West Ham."
While the Barclays U18 Premier League is the youth team's bread and butter, they also have another important role to perform at West Ham - imitating the first team's next opponents. Cullen and company took pride in the Hammers' 3-0 win at Tottenham, as they had mimicked Andre Villas Boas' side in Sam Allardyce's training sessions in the lead-up to the match. "We don't really get told to impersonate a particular player, but we get told the style of football we're expected to play. We were impersonating Tottenham, so we were told to keep a high line because we knew that is what they do and playing in behind could be our strength, and that is where Ricardo Vaz Te's goal came from the ball in behind from Mark Noble. "I suppose we help them to get used to what they'll be up against and whether a team is going to be in their face or drop off and let us play. Then, when we've got the ball, we we get told to pass the ball or be a bit more direct and we try to carry that out as well as we can. "It's all about the first team getting three points at the weekend, so that's all we're worried about really, trying to help them out to get the result. This week, we'll be Manchester City and it'll be tough trying to replicate Yaya Toure but we'll try to do our best and help the first team to get another good result!"
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West Ham v Man City
By Simon Brotherton
Match of the Day commentator
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Upton Park Date: Saturday, 19 October
West Ham defender James Collins will miss out after suffering a hamstring injury playing for Wales in midweek. Striker Carlton Cole, who rejoined on a short-term deal last week, is not yet match fit. Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is still out with a thigh injury but could return next week. This game also comes too soon for summer signing Martin Demichelis, who continues to build up his fitness after a knee injury.
MATCH PREVIEW
While Tottenham fans will rightly be talking of the impact Andros Townsend has made for England over the past week or so, those of a claret-and-blue persuasion in the East End have a young talent of their own who's had quite a fortnight. "West Ham's win over Tottenham last time out was a superb result. But what Hammers boss Sam Allardyce tends to do after a win like that is to try to not lose for the next few games. And it might sound daft for a team that won 3-0 at White Hart Lane, but West Ham are short of firepower."
Ravel Morrison grabbed everyone's attention with a wonderful individual goal in West Ham's surprise 3-0 win over Spurs at White Hart Lane, and has followed it up with two eye-catching performances for Gareth Southgate's England Under-21 side The 20-year-old made his debut in the game with San Marino, and scored twice on Tuesday against Lithuania. Despite an on-pitch altercation with team-mate Wilfried Zaha, he does seem to have turned the corner in terms of tapping into the talent and potential we've all heard about since his time with Manchester United.
I'm intrigued to see what the rest of the season brings for him after making such a strong and promising start. This game's an interesting one, with West Ham off-colour at home recently and Manchester City less than impressive on the road up to this point. The Hammers have lost their last two league games at the Boleyn Ground while City have taken just one point from a possible nine on their travels. Nonetheless, the bottom line is that West Ham have struggled to score consistently, while City are the highest scorers in the Premier League going into the weekend so they'll fancy extending their unbeaten run over West Ham to seven matches.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
West Ham haven't won any of their last six league meetings with Manchester City (D2, L4) and have won just one of the last 12 (W1, D3, L8).
City are unbeaten on their last three visits to Upton Park (W1, D2).
West Ham
West Ham are aiming to avoid a third consecutive home league defeat.
West Ham have kept four clean sheets in their seven league matches but have also failed to score in four of their seven matches.
Mark Noble has created more goal-scoring chances than any other Premier League player this season (17).
Man City
City have a 100% home record in this season's Premier League but have picked up just one point from a possible nine away.
They have scored 17 league goals this season, more than any other team in the top flight.
City have won 28 and drawn two of the 30 Premier League games in which Sergio Aguero has scored.
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Joe Cole: England can win 2014 World Cup in Brazil
By Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport
West Ham midfielder Joe Cole believes England can win the World Cup next year with a team that "excites" him. Cole, 31, has 56 England caps and says he has not given up hope of being in Roy Hodgson's 23-man squad for Brazil. "I'm thinking England can go there and win it," Cole told BBC Sport. "I know the gaffer will want to play things down and rightly so, but it excites me because I think there is enough talent in the country." Former Chelsea and Liverpool player Cole has played in the last three World Cups and was part of a so-called "golden generation" which also included current skipper Steven Gerrard, Chelsea's Frank Lampard and former Manchester United midfielders David Beckham and Paul Scholes. But that team could not go beyond the quarter-finals, and Cole thinks the current crop will be free from the burden of expectation. He added: "Andros Townsend gets you off your feet and Daniel Sturridge is as good as any centre forward in the country at the moment, so there is no reason not to be positive. "I look to the emergence of those two, Raheem Sterling, Ravel Morrison and Ross Barkley. These kids are top, top players and they will go there with no baggage of expectations." England failed to make it past the second round of the last World Cup in 2010, and reached the quarter-finals in 2002 and 2006. Hodgson's side go into next year's tournament unseeded, having dropped to 17th in the Fifa world rankings earlier this year - their lowest standing for 12 years. They have since recovered to 10th. Cole, who last played for England when they lost 4-1 to Germany in second round of the 2010 World Cup, scored on the opening day of the Premier League season against Cardiff and could return to West Ham's starting line-up to face Manchester City on Saturday after a hamstring injury. He said of his own chances of going to Brazil: "I had a good start to the season but unfortunately injury struck again, but if I can keep myself fit, I still have plenty of confidence in my ability. But first things first, I just need to be playing regularly and playing well. "Playing in a Brazil World Cup would be the ultimate for any footballer. There would be nowhere else in the world you would want to be. It would be the pinnacle."
Reaching the World Cup has come at a time when the Football Association has set up a commission to improve the performance of England teams and assess whether the Premier League hinders their progress. Only 31% of players in the top flight are English compared to 72% when the Premier League was formed in 1992, while playing time for English under-21s has dropped to a new low. Solutions have ranged from issuing quotas for foreign players to the re-introduction of a national academy. But the Premier League has invested £320m into its Elite Player Performance Plan, which has graded academies across the country.
Cole, who was a graduate of the previous national academy at Lilleshall, which closed in 1999, said he would like to see something similar again. And having experienced football in France with Lille last season, he believes English football does not value the coaching of youngsters. He said: "Lilleshall was starting to bear fruit towards the end of its time. The likes of Wes Brown, Michael Owen, Scott Parker, Francis Jeffers, myself; there were regular players who came through and played at the top level. "It was like the Barcelona academy, they go and hoover up the best talent around Spain and put them all in the same place and they all bounce off each other. "I was basically a professional from 14 years old and I think it helped me become the player that I am."
Cole joined the West Ham academy before making his first-team debut aged 17. He added: "The biggest issue for me is that the coaching of under-8s to under-12s is still seen as a stepping stone. "I wouldn't imagine it's a massively paid job. I think in other countries, just from what I know, it is seen as a well-paid profession because you're developing them at the stage where they are most able to take in information."
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Billy Bonds on Harry Redknapp: exclusive
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th October 2013
By: Staff Writer
Coming on KUMB.com next week: a world exclusive as Billy Bonds talks about his relationship with Harry Redknapp for the first time. It's nearly 20 years since Hammers legend Bonds last spoke with his former best friend and assistant manager, following his acrimonious departure from Upton Park in August 1994.
Ever since Bonds, who previously captained United to FA Cup success in 1975 and 1980 has refused to discuss his sudden exit - or his relationship with Redknapp. Last week, Redknapp's new autobiography - in which he accused Bonds of running "a shambles" at West Ham and of being "a man out of time" - was serialised by the Daily Mail. And now the man affectionately known as 'Bonzo' by the claret and blue faithful has finally decided to end his two decade-long silence in order to set the record straight, in an exclusive interview for the KUMB Podcast. As well as his thoughts on Redknapp's new book, you'll find out what Bill really thinks about 1991 FA Cup semi-final referee Keith Hackett, West Ham's move to the Olympic Stadium and his view on Sam Allardyce and the current squad.
In the meantime, you may listen to the first part of our exclusive interview with Billy Bonds MBE in this week's episode of the KUMB Podcast.
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West Ham United v Manchester City
KUMb.com
Filed: Friday, 18th October 2013
By: Preview Percy
Preview Percy spent his week off laughing at Spurs. So no real change to any other week then really. He paused between giggles for long enough to write this though.......
Next up we play host to Manchester City at the Boleyn. Kick-off thanks to the tv chappies will be 5:30pm which means that those of us who attend from the Avram Grant Olympic Rest Home For The Bewildered will be cutting it fine to get back before Matron turns the electric fences on. Still, there's no engineering work in the area, the change of kick-off time seemingly having fooled those responsible for messing up people's travel plans.
Our opponents currently sit in 5th spot with 13 points from their 7 matches played thus far. Like last week's opponents it's not much of a return on the not inconsiderable investment that the owners have put into the plying staff. It's really been all Jekyll and Hyde. The good stuff has been saved for home where they've beaten Newcastle (4-0), Hull (2-0), the Salford lot (4-1), and Everton (3-1). They also stuck five past Whelan's whingers in the League Cup as well. Contrast that with their away form where they got beaten by Cardiff and Villa (both 3-2) between which matches they took a point from Stoke away. They've won one and lost one in the so-called Champions League, their last match being a rather humbling 3-1 reverse to Bayern Munich.
They changed the boss at the end of last term. Mancini was shown the door shortly after the Cup Final defeat to Wigan and he was replaced by the Chilean Manuel Pellegrini. As a player Pellegrini retired in 1984 at the age of 33, citing the unusual reason that, as a qualified civil engineer, he'd be of more use helping the country recover from earthquake damage. I'm sure it's only coincidence that he arrived in Manchester only a few months before they announced an expansion to their stadium though.
After spells coaching in Chile and Argentina he pitched up on this side of the Atlantic with Villareal, spending five years with the amusingly-monkiered "Yellow Submarines". His next move was not without its Redknapp-esque moments. On 31 May 2009, in response to speculation, he announced that nobody had spoken to him from Real Madrid, he was contracted to Villareal for the foreseeable and, with the season being over, he was now going to go on holiday. On 2 June 2009 he was unveiled as the new boss at Real Madrid. I'm sure the Redknapp comparisons end there though. I mean it's unlikely that various Pellegrini friends and relations were banging on the door of the Local "El Betto" or whatever they call the bookies over there to profit on the increased odds his denial will have prompted.
He lasted a little over a year at the Bernebau, being "released" following the club's failure to win the So-Called Champions League. Pellegrini was scathing over Real's transfer policy: "It's no good having the ten best guitarists in the world when you need a pianist. At Real we have the guitarists but they are no use if I ask them to play the piano". Real's board countered: "Maybe if the players had spent more time on the training field instead of dicking about with musical instruments we'd have won something" they probably didn't say.
He then spent a couple of years at Malaga who he guided to the knockout bits of the So-Called Champions League spending a shed load of euros en route. He left the beaches and palm trees for the delights of Manchester (as you do) with Malaga struggling for cash and bereft of European competition after falling foul of the Financial Fair Play rules. He wasted no time in getting to work spending City's petrodollars, with four major signings all unpacked and on the training ground by the end of July.
In came winger Navas for £17m from Seville. Navas's given name is Jesus but you can make up your own punchlines regarding how good he is with crosses.
Another £20.6m went on forward Negrado, a forward of more direct style than they've been used to up there in recent years. His first name is Alvaro and if you can get a punchline out of that good luck to you.
In midfield they brought in Brazilian Fernandinho, whose first name ought to be Rio, but isn't.. He was one of those Brazilians who beat a path to Eastern Europe, spending 8 years or so in the employ of Shaktar Donetsk before turning up at the City Of Manchester Stadium for a cool £30m – their most expensive acquisition of the last window. He's a defensive midfielder who commutes between the two boxes and has apparently got a bit of a shot on him.
Further options in attack arrived in the form of Steven Jovetic. The so-called "Montenegran Baggio" cost £22m from Fiorentina and can either play as an out and out striker or in a slightly withdrawn role.
With all that money chucked around (still a lot less than Spurs ho ho) the £4.2m outlay on Argentinian centre half Martin Dimichelis is the sort of stuff they probably found down the back of the sofa in the players' bar. At 32 Dimichelis is clearly there to provide cover for the likes of Kompany and, er, company. So the fact that he has a knee injury at the precise time as Kompany is injured must be a tad annoying. Kompany, however, would appear to have made a spectacular recovery from a nasty muscle tear sustained in the pre-break win over Everton, and his presence this weekend cannot be totally be ruled out.
Going through the out door have been Gareth Barry – on loan to Everton – and some chap called Tevez. When Tevez arrived in the country Sheffield United had somehow bludgeoned their way into the top flight. With them sitting at a more realistic bottom of the third tier clearly Carlos's presence in England was no longer required, what with him having been sent to this country charged with the specific task of getting them relegated. Or alternatively Sheffield United were a two bob outfit who weren't good enough to be in the league in the first place and, having proved the fact beyond all reasonable doubt, who ought to repay the £25m they conned out of our previous owners with interest. Or maybe we could sue Lord Griffiths.
In goal Joe Hart has been copping a bit of stick of late. There have been a few high-profile errors in recent matches. I believe I mentioned in a previous preview that he's probably not as good as everyone was saying at the time. Conversely, he's not as bad as the same pundits are making out twelve months later, though he has shown a certain penchant for getting beaten at the near post.
Incidentally David Silva is a talented Spanish international footballer who was once described by Carlos Tevez as the "best player we ever signed" and not (as we managed to convince some passing Tottenham fans) a tribute act who goes about doing personal appearances in the guise of our co-chairman.
And so to us. Well I'm glad that our last match had a break after it. It's so difficult to write previews through hysterical laughter. The nearest chemists to the Rest Home have run out of linement, so many of us have aching sides after the 3-0 win at what wags are already calling the 0-3 Arena. We were well worth the points as well – this was no bus-parking smash and grab exercise.
There is, of course, a down side to all this. The high-profile nature of the win meant that suddenly people have started to notice both Winston Reid and Ravel Morrison – particularly Morrison who followed his marvellous goal at three-point Lane with a couple of fine performances for the England U21s. Typically the papers chose to pick up on his spat with Zaha rather than his two goals against Lithuania.
Reid's performance, though less publicised than that of Morrison, was none the less impressive. Scoring the first (did I mention that we got three?) his performance in the "day job" at the back was one of strength and composure, leading at least one of the proper papers to refer to the Kiwi as "the Premier League's most underrated defender". To which I say "No he isn't. Nothing to see here. Titus Bramble's still about somewhere". (That'll confuse the vultures for a while).
Reid's central defensive partner James Tomkins also had a decent 90mins and would have retained his place even had James Collins (restored to the Wales side now that their intellectually-challenged manager has worked out how to do a proper call-up) not done his hamstring in during midweek.
We have a new/old signing to welcome back as well. Carlton Cole has (eventually) done enough on the fitness side of things to earn himself a short-term deal. How much we see of him this weekend will depend partly on whether or not Mr Allardyce sticks with the system that left Spurs' players as confused on the pitch as their supporters always seem to be off it. Cole is said to still be a couple of behind closed doors friendlies away from serious consideration so Petric will probably be in pole position should we opt to field a traditional striker. Otherwise, Collins apart, it's almost a full squad to select from – Carroll and Diarra are the usual suspects clogging up the treatment suites.
Prediction? Well of course optimism is at its height at the moment – though I would urge a spot of caution. After all it's not like we beat anyone any good yet is it? However there ought to be a decent mood about the place – it was an all too rare away win after all. After consideration,I think that I'll be spending the Avram Grant Olympic Rest Home For The Bewildered's collection to buy Mr Howlett a disposable razor (£2.50) on a 1-0 home win, in time for us to sneak back into the home through the secret tunnel we always use when Matron's in a bad mood.
Enjoy the game!
When Last We Met At The Boleyn – Drew 0-0. Another Saturday evening match saw us battle to a draw, though we did have a perfectly good goal by Nolan disallowed because he was only two yards onside.
Referee: Michael Oliver – One of the younger referees – last seen chalking off a goal scored by Andy Carroll at Stamford Bridge. Doesn't do to upset Roman does it.
Danger Man: Sergio Aguero – tricky cove who was the subject of a "we hope you die" banner from the delightful support at Atletico Madrid. Will never have to buy a a beer in Manchester again.
Daft Fact Of The Week: Former City favourite Mike Summerbee appeared in the so-bad-it's-wonderful WII film "Escape To Victory" alongside his good friend Bobby Moore. It was Summerbee who was charged with having to utter the infamous "we can still win this" speech when the Allies were "only 4-1 down" at half time in a match with a bent ref. Unsurprisingly, Summerbee and the other players involved kept bursting into fits of laughter every time he tried to make the speech. Sylvester Stallone (who spent the whole movie being out acted by a set of goalposts) was said to be "unamused".
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More Redknapp claims denied
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th October 2013
By: Staff Writer
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has become the latest member of the footballing fraternity to question the validity of Harry Redknapp's new autobiography. Already this week both Billy Bonds - speaking in an exclusive Podcast interview with KUMB.com - and former club captain Julian Dicks have dismissed sections of the former West Ham manager's new book as having little in common with actual events. And now Rodgers has denied claims by Redknapp that he was set to follow him into the England set-up, should Redknapp be offered the managerial post (which eventually went instead to current incumbant Roy Hodgson). Speaking in his book, which was recently serialised by the Daily Mail, Redknapp insisted: "If I had become the England manager I would have taken Brendan Rodgers as my No 2. He was up for it. "If I got the job, he said, he would speak to the people at Swansea to get their permission. But it didn't work out." However Rodgers himself paints a distinctly different picture. Speaking to ITV Sport, he said: "That April, when I was manager at Swansea, Harry had asked me after the game when we played. "It was a unique conversation because he was obviously very confident - as was the nation - he was going to be offered the national team job. It was a quick conversation. I was aware he was very keen for me to team up with him if he was given the role. "But there was no decision either way. Out of the respect I have for Harry I was going to consider it."
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Carroll to confound predictions?
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th October 2013
By: Staff Writer
Andy Carroll could be back in action as early as next month, according to fresh reports. Hugh Southon, writing for Sports Direct News believes that the England international may be back as early as mid-November, despite most reports hinting at a December return. According to Southon, the trip to Norwich three weeks from now is a possible target - although the London derby with Chelsea on 23rd November is a more likely prospect. "It's good news all the way at the moment," said a source. "He's happy and making a very good recovery indeed."
Meanwhile Sam Allardyce believes that Carroll, who is now back in basic training, will be motivated by England's qualification for next summer's World Cup Finals. "I think that the Andy Carrolls of this world will want to get fit and play well for West Ham as soon as he can," said Big Sam. "It will be at the back of his mind that the World Cup is coming and he wants to be a part of that squad. "He forged his way into the England set-up with his performances at the back end of last season after maintaining his fitness. Now he's got this unfortunate injury but hopefully he can be a part of it as well.
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Sam Allardyce hopes Manchester City endure another bad away day
Last Updated: October 18, 2013 4:46pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce admits West Ham will take confidence from Manchester City's stuttering away form ahead of Saturday's match at Upton Park. The Hammers head into the game on a high after the 3-0 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane before the international break. Manuel Pellegrini's men won at home against Everton in their last match, but have suffered problems on the road, losing at Cardiff and Aston Villa. Allardyce is fully aware of this frailty and hopes the Hammers can take full advantage. "In terms of results they've been a little bit Jekyll and Hyde," he said. "[They are] absolutely fantastic at home and unfortunately for them they've not won away from home yet - lost two and drawn one. "We have to be encouraged by that. Last year we had a fantastic 0-0 against them."
The absence of James Collins, who suffered a hamstring injury on international duty with Wales, has left Allardyce with a defensive headache. Winston Reid and James Tomkins are the only fit centre-backs and Allardyce admits his squad has been stretched to the limit. "I am concerned about the fact that we only run with three centre-halves," he said. "So James being out is a particular problem for me because I have to run with only two central defenders now, James Tomkins and Winston Reid, for however long it takes James to get fit again, that is my big concern. "He [Collins] has been excellent and he has been very unfortunate that I decided to leave him out. "It wasn't that he was playing badly it is just that I thought James [Tomkins] in the Cardiff game in the Capital One Cup gave a fantastic performance and that fantastic performance got him in the team."
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Sky Sports Vault
The Sky Sports Vault has been opened once more, enabling us to pick out another football classic from yesteryear for you to watch and enjoy once again. West Ham fans are in for a treat this week, as Tony Cottee recalls his timely treble against Manchester City back in December 1994...
By Jon Holmes - @jonboy79 | Last Updated: October 18, 2013 4:03pm
It's fair to say Tony Cottee's second coming at West Ham in September 1994 didn't get off to the best of starts. Having returned to the East End from Everton in a swap deal with David Burrows, Cottee was back on Merseyside just three days later for a Premiership match against Liverpool. Early in the second half, the 29-year-old was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Rob Jones - only for referee Paul Danson to allow play to continue. Cottee was incensed, but quickly back on his feet, and launched into Jones to reclaim the ball, clattering the right-back far worse than he had been clattered himself moments earlier. Despite profuse apologies, Cottee looked up to see Danson flourishing a red card, and trudged off down the Anfield tunnel - sent off for the first and only time in his career.
Cottee had come back to his roots at the calling of Harry Redknapp, in his first season in charge of the Hammers. With 10 men, they ground out a goalless draw at Liverpool that day, although the result still left them in the relegation places. The following Saturday, Cottee hauled them out by netting the only goal of the game against Aston Villa at Upton Park. Yet after serving his suspension, a dreaded drought set in - and a full three months later, Cottee was still searching for his next goal.
West Ham picked up the odd victory here and there - a 2-1 triumph at Chelsea, and home wins over Crystal Palace, Southampton and Leicester - but as the week before Christmas rolled around, Redknapp's team found themselves back in the drop zone. Cottee was toiling away in vain up front, while his team-mates also lacked firepower to an alarming degree. In total, the Hammers had only bothered the scoresheet 12 times in 18 league games.
"There was pressure on me because West Ham had signed me to score goals - and they just weren't going in," Cottee recalled to Sky Sports. "But I was really enjoying my time working under Harry. I found him a good manager and coach, and he was very patient with me. We had the players, but we just hadn't clicked as a team."
Visiting the Boleyn Ground that Saturday were Manchester City, riding high in sixth spot under Brian Horton, and boasting a formidable attacking triumvirate of Paul Walsh, Niall Quinn and Uwe Rosler. The City forwards had already plundered 21 Premiership goals between them by that stage of the season. They were expected to give a defence containing 36-year-old Alvin Martin a thorough runaround.
Understandably at that time of year, with household funds tight, the attendance dipped slightly - but the majority of the 17,286 crowd got their money's worth within the first 10 minutes. West Ham went for the jugular right from the kick-off, carving out several early chances, and when Andy Dibble could only parry a Cottee shot right back at the striker, he side-footed home to finally break free of those demons of doubt. And like the proverbial London bus, another goal followed in double-quick time. A raid down by the right by Tim Breacker, from a move originally instigated by Cottee in his own penalty area, ended in the latter turning cleverly in the area and scoring past a stunned Dibble.
Ian Bishop ran the game against his former club, while Dibble made several fine saves, but in the 57th minute, Cottee completed his hat-trick - running onto Bishop's excellent through-ball, taking on Alan Kernaghan and curling a left-footed shot in off the far post. "That first goal was a huge relief - you can see it etched on my face," said Cottee. "The second was a good team goal, and the third came from a great through-ball from Bish. It was a resounding victory.
"I loved playing with Bish because he was such a creative midfielder player. Being a City old boy as well, it added spice to the game from his point of view, and he played great that day."
Scoring hat-tricks was not unusual for Cottee - he had notched two trebles the previous season at Goodison - but this one stands out for him. "It's the only time I ever got a league hat-trick for West Ham at home," he noted, "so it's a very special memory for me."
Cottee's strike partner at the time was 6ft 4in Dutchman Jeroen Boere, who had bagged a brace the previous weekend to earn a 2-2 draw at Leeds. In Redknapp's recently-released autobiography, the former Hammers manager mentions the players' Christmas party that year. Organiser Dale Gordon hired minivans to ferry the players around and for reasons that are unexplained, Boere - known as 'Yozza' - set fire to the seats of one of the vehicles. The story quickly came to the attention of the press. "I was on one of the minibuses, but not the one that was potentially on fire!" said Cottee. "We ended up at a nightclub in Romford and we had a boxing ring with big boxing gloves, and people were launching themselves off the balcony... it was all in good fun, in the days when there were no mobile phones around to capture the images. Because Yozza had damaged the back of the minibus, the company put a claim in to the club. It became common knowledge and made the newspapers."
Such parties are seriously frowned upon nowadays, but the lifestyle and occasional drinking culture of players was under much less scrutiny in the early 90s. As Cottee explains: "We worked our socks off to win a football match, and it was a time when a bonus meant something - we used to celebrate and enjoy ourselves. It's just a different world now, because of the amount of money involved."
Only 13 goals are scored across eight Premiership fixtures. Leaders Blackburn draw 0-0 at Leicester, while second-placed Manchester United lose 2-1 at home to Nottingham Forest. The National Lottery completes its first month, having created seven new UK millionaires. 'Stay Another Day' by Walthamstow's finest East 17 is in a five-week stretch at the top of the UK singles charts. The box office tills ring for Sir Richard Attenborough's turn as Kris Kringle in a remake of 'Miracle on 34th Street'. Redknapp describes Boere as "a strange guy" and the tale of his life after leaving English football (he also played for Crystal Palace and Southend) is certainly unusual, and ultimately tragic. Boere went to play in Japan and after dinner with his wife Ann in a Tokyo restaurant one night in May 1999, he was attacked and stabbed by two men, resulting in the loss of an eye. He had to retire from playing and after a spell running a pub back in the East End, he became an estate agent in Marbella. Then news filtered through in August 2007 that he had been found dead, at the age of just 39, leaving behind Ann and a three-year-old son called Brandon. "Yozza was a typical Dutch boy, very confident in himself," remembers Cottee. "He was actually a good player when you played to his strengths, and I enjoyed playing up front with him. "I think he got in with the wrong crowd once he'd retired from football. He lost his eye in that one incident, and eventually he committed suicide which was horrible. We put on a fundraising dinner for the family - the footballing community looking after each other, which often happens."
Beating City took West Ham back up to 17th, but their struggles went on. They were still third from bottom in early March, but a 1-0 win at Arsenal kick-started a strong finish which saw them lose only two of their last 13 league games. They eventually finished 14th, five points clear of danger and a point ahead of City, who only won three league games for the rest of the season, leading to new chairman Francis Lee deciding to sack Horton and put his own man in charge. That man was Alan Ball; City were relegated the following season on goal difference, and would slide further down to the third tier before recovering.
"I ended up as top scorer with 13 goals, which was always my aim at the start of the season," added Cottee. "I got a calf muscle injury towards the end, so I missed some dramatic games, such as a win at Blackburn and the match that everyone remembers: the 1-1 draw with Manchester United on the final day, which stopped them winning the title. In terms of epic Sky moments, that's right up there with Aguero's clincher for Manchester City last year."
Cottee will be at Upton Park this Saturday night, hoping to see his beloved Hammers build on their win at Tottenham last time out, when Sam Allardyce pulled off a tactical masterstroke. "I'm guessing they might look to do the same formation," said Cottee. "Undoubtedly it was the formation that won them the game - they didn't play with a central striker, so it was effectively six midfield players, with four central and two wingers. "It was a tactic that worked very well. I know they're at home, but I think with it being against one of the big boys - Man City - I wouldn't be surprised if West Ham go for it again. I'm not a fan of that system because I love to see strikers on the pitch, but it was fantastically effective against Spurs. And if West Ham win without a forward, I'll be as delighted as everyone else."
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West Ham host Manchester City in Saturday Night Football
Last Updated: October 18, 2013 1:23pm
SSN
West Ham will hope to build on their shock win last time out when they host Manchester City in Saturday Night Football. The Hammers recorded an impressive 3-0 victory away to London rivals Tottenham, lifting them out of the Premier League relegation zone in the process. It was their first three-point haul since the opening day of the season, and was made possible by a brave tactical approach from Sam Allardyce that saw him field a starting line-up with no recognised striker.
Whether Allardyce employs the same tactics again against third-placed City remains to be seen, but with Andy Carroll still out injured and Mladen Petric and Carlton Cole still considered to be not fully match fit, the formation may be repeated. Centre-back James Collins, who came on a substitute at White Hart Lane, is definitely out, while City's Vincent Kompany - who lasted only 34 minutes of their 3-1 home win over Everton a fortnight ago - is definitely out with a thigh injury.
Last season's equivalent fixture ended 0-0, and with only Southampton and Chelsea boasting a better defensive league record than the Hammers this season, goals may be at a premium. However City will feel confident they can break down their hosts as they have already netted a league-high 17 goals in the campaign thus far.
Paul Merson's prediction
After Soccer Saturday a fortnight ago, poor Jeff was certain that Hartlepool were going to win the Performance of the Week after they won at Exeter - and then the next day West Ham went and smashed Tottenham 3-0 and topped them in my opinion. Nobody saw that coming - even the West Ham faithful - but I don't see them repeating that on Saturday Night Football. They played with no strikers and it worked in a game where nobody was giving them a chance, but I don't think it will work against City at home. They will be expected to take the game to them a bit more. City are still my tip for the title. They are strong all over and have got a big squad so I think they're best equipped. Vincent Kompany is injured, but West Ham aren't really a threat without Andy Carroll and might not play any strikers again so I think City will cope and keep a clean sheet anyway.
PAUL PREDICTS: 0-3
West Ham Badge West Ham
Last 6
Tottenham (a)0-3
Hull City (a)1-0
Cardiff (h)3-2
Everton (h)2-3
Southampton (a)0-0
Stoke City (h)0-1
West Ham defender James Collins will miss the visit of Manchester City on Saturday evening after suffering an injury on international duty. The 30-year-old was replaced just before the hour in Wales' 1-1 draw with Belgium in midweek and Hammers boss Sam Allardyce confirmed he has a hamstring injury. He joins Andy Carroll (heel) and Alou Diarra (knee) on the sidelines whilst Carlton Cole, who rejoined the club on a short-term deal last week, is not fit enough to be involved.
Man City Badge Man City
Last 6
3-1
1-3
A Villa (a)3-2
Wigan (h)5-0
Man Utd (h)4-1
Plzen (a)0-3
Defender Martin Demichelis is not yet ready to play, but is closing in on a first-team debut after pulling on a City shirt for the first time in the elite development squad's 2-2 draw with Rochdale on Wednesday. The Argentinian defender joined City at the start of September from Atletico Madrid but damaged knee ligaments in his first week of training. Captain Vincent Kompany (thigh) is definitely out, but like Demichelis he could be available next week. City's next fixtures are away to CSKA Moscow in the Champions League on Wednesday, and away to Chelsea on Sunday 27 October. Midfielder Jack Rodwell also played in midweek and has declared himself fit and available for Saturday's game.
Opta facts:
West Ham have kept four clean sheets in their last seven Barclays Premier League games; but have also failed to score in four of their seven matches.
Man City have lost just one of their last 12 Barclays Premier League meetings with West Ham (W8 D3).
Man City have won just 46% of their Premier League games without Vincent Kompany since his debut; compared to 58% with him in the side.
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West Ham striker Andy Carroll sets sights on spot in England squad
Last Updated: October 18, 2013 9:28am
SSN
West Ham striker Andy Carroll admits that England's qualification for the World Cup has spurred him on to return from injury. Carroll has been ruled out for an indefinite spell with a heel injury and was unable to play his part for England as they reached next summer's tournament in Brazil with a 2-0 win over Poland on Tuesday. The former Liverpool striker featured early in England's qualification campaign and hopes to stake his claim for a spot in the World Cup squad, but the Hammers will not rush the £15million summer signing back into action. Carroll knows he must first prove his fitness at club level before he can even think about earning an England recall. "The lads did a great job and it's brilliant that England will be in Brazil," he told the Daily Mail. "It also gives me something to aim at and, once I get back playing, I might have a chance of breaking back into the squad. "The first objective, of course, is to get back playing well for West Ham. I want to do that because they've been so supportive but if England follows, that would be good, too."
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All eyes on West Ham's Ravel Morrison against Manchester City to see what he does next
18 Oct 2013 22:30
The Mirror
He has scored sensational goals in his last two games for club and country - England Under-21s on Tuesday and for West Ham against Spurs two weeks ago.
So all eyes will be on red-hot Ravel Morrison on Saturday night to see whether he can make it a hat-trick against the flash-the-cash big guns of Manchester City. The 20-year-old talent has had his problems avoiding trouble with the police, a chequered history that finally saw him cut loose by Manchester United.
But Hammers manager Sam Allardyce saw the new-look Morrison coming months ago, when he sparkled in pre-season and scored in friendlies against Hamburg and Sporting Lisbon. Asked when he first saw signs that the boy was a bit special, Big Sam said: "Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. A little bit in Germany.
"We started him wide to see how he did - centre midfield might have been a little too much for him. Then he scored twice against Lisbon and we started to get a little excited. "Then we thought we'd feed him into the first team as soon as the opportunity came – which was the Capital One Cup."
Morrison has scored in both West Ham's games in that competition so far - victories over Cheltenham and Cardiff. And it was at that point that Allardyce started to see even more potential. But just as quickly as he has begun to impress, his issues resurfaced while he was busy scoring two goals for England's Young Lions against Lithuania on Tuesday - including one of pure class. Before the game was finished however, he became involved in an ugly on-field bust-up with Wilfried Zaha, raising questions once more about his ablity to mature. Allardyce added: "It's his finishing ability that's emerged, that we didn't think he had.
"He didn't score too much at Birmingham [on a season-long loan from the Hammers]. But he can finish as well as create. My job is to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't get carried away with all the good publicity he is getting at the moment. "I think that it's the individual that has to take control of himself. What we do is provide the support and the tools and the opportunity to develop as a person as well as a footballer. "Natural talent has no chance at being successful without it being developed - in every way, shape or form. "So we help develop his talent. He himself has decided that he is going to make himself a more mature person. He has certainly done that and it's because he has done that that he is now evolving that talent quicker than we possibly thought he would. "All I did was just encourage and watch to see what his growth was like. I don't bombard players too much with meetings or talks. The rest of the staff delegated to take up those duties, so he is talked to all the time. "When I talk to him I just ask him basically how he is. "My job is more about anything off the field rather than anything on it these days. That's where you get most of the problems that affects a player, on the field. "Off the field problems normally affect their in-house training then affect their performances on the pitch, not what generally happens on the training ground on a day-to-day basis because its all here for you. "Ravel is quiet and because he is a quiet lad we leave him to do what he is doing. But every day with the lads he joins in more and more and more with the banter that we have."
The Hammers are making provisions to ensure that the talented youngster is rewarded for his stunning start to the season with an improved deal in the new year. But Allardyce believes Morrison has more chance of sustaining his stunning resurgence if he ignores the finances and focuses on his football. Allardyce said: "It depends how Rav sees it. Does he see the development of football more important than the cash? "Hopefully Rav will think the development is more important. "Without development, he won't progress - you don't leave a great mathematician to evolve himself, do you? If he doesn't get the 10,000 hours in, he won't be a brilliant mathematician. "It's always the same, with sporting talent."
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