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West Ham v Liverpool match preview

December 9, 2012 By Iron Bobby 1 Comment

liverpool frontman luis suarez

West Ham United will play host to Liverpool today in the Premiership with The Hammers’ looking to continue their good start to the season with a victory over the Reds.

Sam Allardyce’s team currently sit in 10th place in the Premier League with a very healthy 22 points after 15 games, with a win over Liverpool today West Ham could climb as high as 6th place.

Only Arsenal have managed to walk away from The Boleyn ground this season with all 3 points as West Ham look to turn Upton Park into a fortress, last weekend Chelsea found out how difficult it can be to play West Ham when they have their tails up after being on the receiving end of a 3-1 drubbing.

The last time Liverpool played West Ham in East London it ended 3-1 to West Ham so lets hope we can get a similar result today.

West Ham News

Yossi Benayoun will be welcomed back into the West Ham squad today after missing out on the Chelsea game due to the conditions of his loan.

Andy Carroll will be missing due to a thigh injury which will keep him out for two months, however he would not have been able to play due to the face he is on loan from Liverpool. Ricardo Vaz Te, Alou Diarra and Jack Collison all remain sidelined through long term injuries.

Liverpool News

The main news which will please all West Ham fans is that Luis Suarez is out of the game due to suspension which leaves Liverpool without a recognized striker for today’s match.

Jonjo Shelvey could be pushed forward into a strikers position, while Steven Gerrard, Daniel Agger and Lucas Leiva will all return to the team after being rested for the mid-week Europa League match.

It should be a great game and I hope West Ham continue their good home form which results in another Irons victory!

Iron Bobby – West Ham United Blog

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Allardyce coy on Diame contract clause

December 7, 2012 By Iron Bobby 1 Comment

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce refused to reveal any details about Mo Diame’s release clause amid rumours and whispers that multiple Premier League clubs are interested in the monster of a midfield players signature.

Diame arrived at The Boleyn on a free transfer from Wigan Athletic during the summer and has been one of the signings of the seasons not just for West Ham but the Premier League.

When Big Sam brought him on as a half-time substitute against Chelsea he forced the Blues onto the back foot and inspired his fellow Hammers’ to a well deserved 3-1 victory over our London neighbours and capped off a great performance with West Ham’s second goal.

However buoyed by Diame’s excellent form there have been rumours galore that the claret and blue beast has an escape clause in his contract which would allow him to leave West Ham for a knockdown fee in the region of £7m.

Allardyce would not confirm whether or not this is the case before expressing his belief that scouts are monitoring the Senegal star and trying to drum up some business.

He said: “I can’t discuss personal contracts, obviously. But when people start playing consistently well scouts are always watching and agents get very busy.”

Let’s hope there is nothing to this rumour and we don’t have another Demba Ba situation where every man and his dog knows about his release clause which gives the fans clenched bum cheeks every transfer window!

Iron Bobby – West Ham United Blog

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Carlton Cole tipped by Nolan to fill Carroll void

December 7, 2012 By Iron Bobby 1 Comment

Carlton Cole will fill the void left by Andy Carroll’s injury as he has been chomping at the bit to get some game time according to team-mate and captain Kevin Nolan.

Carroll looks to be sidelined for up to two months after picking up a knee injury in the recent defeat to Manchester United.

Cole returned to the starting eleven in Carrol’s absence and even though I am not his biggest fan he played very well and scored the equalizer in what turned out to be a 3-1 rout of the Champions League holders.

Nolan has been singing Cole’s praises and insists if Carlton keeps up his good form then loss of Carroll wont really be felt, speaking to SkySports Nolan said:

Carlton has been chomping at the bit to get the chance to prove himself. Hopefully his performance against Chelsea will be the standard he sets himself.

I’m sure there will be more of the same coming up, so Andy will not be too missed for us.

Hopefully Mr. Cole will keep up the form he showed against Chelsea with West Ham hosting Liverpool at home in the Premier League this weekend.

Liverpool will be without inform goal machine Luis Suarez which is a blessing for West Ham as he looks in great touch and would have been a real threat to The Hammers’ goal.

Iron Bobby – West Ham United Blog

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Guy Demel retires from Ivory Coast duty

December 6, 2012 By Iron Bobby 1 Comment

West Ham United defender Guy Demel is understood to have announced his retirement from international football with the Ivory Coast.

Demel has decided to hang up his boots for his country to concentrate on his club career with West Ham.

Guy Demel West Ham

This news will come as a welcome boost for manager Sam Allardyce as he was set to lose Demel for the Ivory Coast’s African Nations Cup campaign in January.

Demel was a part of the Ivory Coast squad which included Didier Drogba that reached the 2006 and 2010 World Cup finals and he also helped them qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

After signing for West Ham injury prevented Demel from playing a full 90 minutes for The Hammers’ for 9 months which came in the play off final against Blackpool.

The fullback signed a two-year-deal with West Ham when he joined from German club Hamburger, the deal expires next summer but West Ham have the option for a further 12 months which Demel may have his eye on.

Iron Bobby – West Ham United Blog

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West Ham to find out Olympic Stadium fate

December 5, 2012 By Iron Bobby 1 Comment

West Ham United will today find out if their Olympic Stadium proposal has been successful but the Hammers’ look set to be named preferred bidders.

Talks on securing a deal that would allow West Ham to be named as the preferred bidders are expected to continue right until the start of tomorrow’s meeting of the London Legacy Development Corporation board.

The Hammers’ latest offer is believed to be a £15m up front contribution, a £5m improvement on the original offer, as well as rent of £2.5m-a-year and £6m-a-year income for the LLDC from revenue from stadium naming rights and catering.

West Ham United Blog reported last week that sources close to the deal remain hopeful that an agreement will be reached that covers a funding gap of around £20m for the retractable seating, with West Ham United and Newham Council already putting in £20m to bring the cost down from £40m.

Olympic Stadium London

West Ham United are one of four bidders hoping to be chosen as the new tenants of the Olympic Stadium, which has already cost £486m so far and has been vacant since hosting the closing ceremony of the Paralympics in September. The other bidders are League One side Leyton Orient, a football business college and a proposal to bring Formula One racing to the Olympic Park.

In other Olympic Stadium related news, London Mayor Boris Johnson is seeking assurances from West Ham owners David Gold and David Sullivan that they will not be looking to sell the club on after moving into the Olympic Stadium or prepare to share the profits if they do as he believes West Ham will be a far more valuable club if they do indeed move in to the Olympic Stadium.

UPDATE:

West Ham have now been announced as the preferred bidder, read the clubs statement here.

What do you guys think? Leave us a comment with your thoughts.

Iron Bobby – West Ham United Blog

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