Allardyce aims to stifle City threat January 7, 2014 WEST Ham manager Sam Allardyce hopes his patched-up team can frustrate Manchester City into submission in tonight’s Capital One Cup semi-final first leg. City have won all 10 of their Premier League home matches this season, scoring almost four goals per game on average. The Hammers, meanwhile, are struggling at the foot of the table [...]
Walcott ruled out of World Cup by injury January 6, 2014 ENGLAND and Arsenal’s ambitions for 2014 suffered hammer blows last night when Theo Walcott was ruled out for six months – including this summer’s World Cup – with a serious knee injury. Tests revealed that the versatile forward suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in an innocuous looking incident during the Gunners’ 2-0 FA Cup [...]
Allardyce handed double boost by hopeful Hammers’ hierarchy January 6, 2014 THE West Ham board moved to alleviate growing pressure on boss Sam Allardyce yesterday by issuing a public vote of confidence and vowing to back their manager in the transfer market. The Hammers are three points adrift of Premier League safety having won just once in 13 matches and were dumped out of the FA [...]
United must win semi-final for supporters, says Fletcher January 6, 2014 MANCHESTER United midfielder Darren Fletcher feels tonight’s Capital One Cup semi-final first leg against Sunderland presents the perfect opportunity for his team-mates to repay the unwavering support being shown at Old Trafford despite the club’s recent slump. United have lost four of their last six home matches, including Sunday’s FA Cup third round tie with [...]
FA Cup: Allardyce confesses to job threat January 5, 2014 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 5 vs WEST HAM 0 UNDER-FIRE manager Sam Allardyce admitted he will lose his job at West Ham unless results improve dramatically, after the Hammers crashed out of the FA Cup to second-tier Nottingham Forest. A Jamie Paterson hat-trick helped the Championship team trounce West Ham at the City Ground, yet Allardyce – [...]
Mourinho: We aren’t divers January 5, 2014 CHELSEA boss Jose Mourinho insists his team are not divers despite midfielder Ramires becoming the second Blues star to be cautioned in as many games in yesterday’s 2-0 FA Cup win at Derby. John Obi Mikel and Oscar – booked for diving at Southampton last week – both scored in the second half as Chelsea [...]
Football Comment: The Trevors: Why Roberto Martinez is my man of 2013 December 19, 2013 MAN OF THE YEAR Once seen as a manager only good for relegation battles, nobody has had a stronger 2013 than Roberto Martinez. First, he won the FA Cup with Wigan, a club that had previously not been anywhere near it, upsetting firm favourites Manchester City in the final. He might have been unable to [...]
Sherwood eyes winning start to Spurs reign in Hammers cup tie December 17, 2013 INTERIM Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood believes West Ham’s relegation battle can help his team get his reign off to a winning start tonight. Sherwood, placed in temporary charge following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas on Monday, leads Spurs into a Capital One Cup quarter-final against a Hammers side who have slipped to 17th in the [...]
Wilshere faces Chelsea ban December 17, 2013 ARSENAL midfielder Jack Wilshere is set to miss Monday’s Premier League showdown with Chelsea after being charged for appearing to make a middle-finger gesture during Saturday’s 6-3 loss at Manchester City. The Football Association brought the charge yesterday after studying video evidence of the incident, which was missed by the referee. Wilshere has until 6pm [...]
Capital One Cup: Ki strikes late to dump Blues and anger Mourinho December 17, 2013 SUNDERLAND 2 vs CHELSEA 1 AFTER EXTRA TIME. 1-1 AFTER 90 MINUTES FRUSTRATED Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho last night insisted his current crop produces more quality than his great Blues team of the past, despite seeing them dumped out of the Capital One Cup by Sunderland. Substitute Ki Sung-Yueng struck the 118th-minute winner to send [...]