West Ham Fans Born to be Claret and Blue

Not the latest news due to a server hiccup, so just to confirm: West Ham United 25-man squad Goalkeepers: Boffin, Green Defenders: Ben Haim, Da Costa, Gabbidon, Ilunga, Jacobsen, Reid, Spector,

The transfer window has closed with very little actual transfer activity by West Ham United, the club has retained it's 'crown jewels' despite interest from Tottenham and Liverpool and has acquired a good loan signing in Victor Obinna. Pablo Barrera, Der Hammer, Frederic Piquionne and Winston Reid have also been added to the squad, as has Ben Tal Haim Hmmm!

If the Carlton Cole to Liverpool transfer is to go through there will have to be some pretty impressive logistical operations synchronised. Ryan Babel is on his way to the Boleyn, to undergo a medical, but how are Liverpool going to carry out a medical on Carlton Cole when he is currently in London Colney with the England squad?

What are you to do heh? You have Tottenham and Liverpool sniffing around for your star players, but you are the co-owner of West Ham United and you have stated categorically that your best midfielder is not for sale at any price, only to find that he is virtually the only player anyone is willing to pay decent money for.

With just over 24 hours to go before the transfer window closes speculation is rife over the future of several West Ham players, Liverpool and Tottenham are both linked with interest in Carlton Cole and Scotty Parker while Valon Behrami is expected to join Allesandro Diamanti in Italy.

West Ham 01 Green 04 Gabbidon 15 Upson 18 Spector 20 Faubert 23 Ilunga 07 Dyer 08 Parker 13 Boa Morte 16 Noble 09 Cole Substitutes 29 Stech, 22 Da Costa, 12 Barrera, 14 Kovac, 25 Stanislas, 17 McCarthy, 30 Piquionne

Roy Hodgson has set his sights on bringing a tall experienced british striker to Anfield, consequently Liverpool have increased their bids for Carlton Cole and for ex-Hammer Bobby Zamora. Mark Hughes is reluctant to part company with his star striker, and as Fulham are bankrolled by newly cash rich Mohamed Al Fayed following the sale of Harrods, it appears that Carlton Cole has become the preferred option.

Sultan of spin Scot Duxbury oversaw the £9 Million transfer of Savio to West Ham and his subsequent departure with Alessandro Diamanti arriving in part exchange. Along with cohort Gianluca Nani, ex-West Ham CEO 'Dux' was quick to reveal that Diamanti was an inspired acquisition and was well worth the £6 Million paid for him.

Scotty Parker captains West Ham for this evening's league cup tie against Oxford at the Boleyn......
West Ham United: Stech, Faubert, Tomkins, Ben Haim, Spector, Barrera, Parker, Noble, Stanislas, Sears, Piquionne
Subs: Green, Da Costa, Ilunga, Kovac, Boa Morte, McCarthy, Cole

The 1-3 scoreline against Bolton suggests the visitors battered West Ham, and with matches against Manchester United, Chelsea, Stoke and Tottenham, things look a bit grim for Avram Grant, but the actual game was so much closer. Too many lines have been written about the match to dwell on what might have been.