Showing posts with label Bellamy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bellamy. Show all posts

Friday, 19 December 2008

West Ham v Villa Premier League Preview: O’Neill To Recall Big Guns For Trip To The Hammers

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West Ham United play Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa in the Premier League at Upton Park on Saturday.

Gianfranco Zola’s Hammers side go into this match with just one win in their last 5 league outings, which was against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, but have also drawn with top two Premier League teams Liverpool and Chelsea away from home in this sequence. However, West Ham are just one point of the relegation zone in 16th place and will be hoping to come out of this clash with an inform Villa side with something on Saturday.

The Villans are unbeaten in their last 5 Premiership games, which has seen them draw with Manchester United and Fulham, while beating Arsenal, Bolton Wanderers and Everton. This run has seen O’Neill’s team climb into the Champions League places in 4th place above the Gunners. Villa are yet to draw an away game in the Premier League this season, winning 5 and losing 3 on their travels away from Villa Park.

The Hammers are unable to call on striker Dean Ashton (Os Trigonum syndrome), Daniel Gabbidon (groin), Lee Bowyer (thigh) and James Collins (calf) for the visit of the Midlands club, with Carlton Cole expected to partner Craig Bellamy upfront for West Ham.

Martin O’Neill is still without Wilfred Bouma (ankle) and striker John Carew (back) for the trip to Upton Park, but is expected to recall captain Martin Laursen along with Gareth Barry, Ashley Young, James Milner and Gabriel Agbonlahor, who were all rested for the UEFA Cup tie with Hamburg on Wednesday.

West Ham United: (from) Green, Neill, Upson, Ilunga, Lopez, Dyer, Parker, Bellamy, Etherington, Cole, Boa Morte, Noble, Mullins, Spector, Faubert, Behrami, Stokes, Lastuvka, Tristan, Davenport, Collison, Di Michele, Sears, Stech, Hines, Jefferey, Widdowson

Aston Villa: (from) Friedel, L Young, Sidwell, Laursen, Barry, A Young, Milner, Harewood, Agbonlahor, Delfouneso, Davies, Knight, Salifou, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Shorey, Guzan, Cuellar, Gardner, Osbourne, Bannan, Herd

Friday, 5 December 2008

West Ham v Tottenham Premier League Preview: Can The Hammers Continue Their Recent Form Against Spurs?

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West Ham United play, Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League at Upton Park on Monday.

Hammers manager Gianfranco Zola was starting to come under pressure at Upton Park in his first managerial job. However, a spirited 0-0 draw against Liverpool on Monday night at Anfield, which was on the back of a 1-0 win against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light has turned things around for West Ham, who had not won in their previous seven Premier League games. West Ham, are just three points above Tottenham and with things so tight in the Premiership this season, will hope to collect all three points against their London rivals.

Spurs lost at White Hart Lane last week to Everton, which was the first loss at home under Harry Redknapp, having won all their other matches on their own patch since the former Portsmouth boss took over from Juande Ramos. However, despite having a good run of form before the defeat to the Toffees, Spurs are just out of the relegation spots on goal difference in 16th place in the Premier League. However, Tottenham did make it through to the semi-finals of the Carling Cup on Wednesday, when they beat Championship side Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road. Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent bagged one apiece to send the North London club through, with Redknapp hoping for more of the same to fire Spurs up the table.

Zola is unable to call on Kieron Dyer (broken leg), Jonathan Spector (Thigh), Daniel Gabbidon (groin) and striker Dean Ashton (os Trigonum syndrome) for the visit of Tottenham. With Craig Bellamy, Carlton Cole David Di Michele and Diego Tristan all fighting to play upfront in a Hammers attack that has been misfiring recently.

Tottenham will be without Alan Hutton (metatarsal), Luka Modric (thigh) and summer signing Giovanni Dos Santos (ankle) for the trip across London to Upton park. Redknapp is likely to field his strongest side against the Hammers as the Spurs boss is only too aware of the tightness of the situation at the bottom of the table and the importance of staying in the Premier League to Tottenham.

“It's very hard to get out, you need a good run. We've had a good run, we've taken nearly two points a game,” Redknapp said earlier this week.

“Long term the most important thing for this club is the Premier League. That's the most important thing by far.”

West Ham United: (from) Green, Neill, Ilunga, Lopez, Parker, Bellamy, Etherington, Cole, Boa Morte, Upson, Noble, Mullins, Collins, Faubert, Behrami, Stokes, Lastuvka, Tristan, Davenport, Bowyer, Collison, Di Michele, Sears, Stech, Hines, Jeffery

Tottenham Hotspur: (from) Gomes, King, Woodgate, Corluka, Bale, Jenas, Bentley, Zokora, Lennon, Huddlestone, Bent, Pavlyuchenko, Cesar, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto,
Gunter, Campbell, Stalteri, Ghaly, Taarabt, Rocha, Boateng, O’Hara, Gilberto, Alnwick