Paper Talk
MAIL ON SUNDAY
David Moyes is to be named as the new boss of Real Sociedad.
Arsenal are trying to buy teenager Goncalo Guedes but Benfica say he will cost them £40m
SUNDAY MIRROR
Mats Hummels will leave Borussia Dortmund in January with his preferred option Arsenal rather than Manchester United.
Liverpool are targeting £10m Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic in the January transfer window.
Liverpool want to give Raheem Sterling a new £100,000-per-week contract that includes a £60m buyout clause.
DAILY STAR
Tottenham are set to sign Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez in January.
Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea are all interested in Benfica striker Talisca, who is valued at £35m.
THE SUN
Liverpool striker Fabio Borini is wanted by Inter Milan in a £14m deal.
SUNDAY TIMES
Arsenal and Tottenham have joined Manchester United in the chase to sign Dani Alves when his Barcelona contract expires next summer.
SUNDAY EXPRESS
Inter Milan's Nemanja Vidic could return to Manchester United in January.
Liverpool are set to make a £30m bid for Porto striker Jackson Martinez.
Barcelona's Gerard Pique will reject a move back to Manchester United in favour of Chelsea.
BBC
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Former Everton and Manchester United manager David Moyes is to be named as the new boss at La Liga side Real Sociedad. (Mail on Sunday)
Borussia Dortmund fear centre-back Mats Hummels will leave in January and the 25-year-old is thought to prefer a move to Arsenal rather than Manchester United. (Sunday Mirror)
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is set to sign striker Jay Rodriguez, 25, from his former club Southampton in January for £20m. (Daily Star on Sunday)
Arsenal are trying to buy Goncalo Guedes, 17, regarded as the "new Cristiano Ronaldo", but the Benfica star will cost them £40m. (Mail on Sunday)
Liverpool target £10m-rated Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, 29, in the January transfer window after enquiring about the Bosnia-Hercegovina player last season. (Sunday Mirror)
Reds striker Fabio Borini is wanted by Inter Milan in a £14m deal but the 23-year-old is unwilling to move to the San Siro. (Sun on Sunday - subscription required)
Arsenal and Tottenham have joined Manchester United in wanting to sign 31-year-old Barcelona right-back Dani Alves, whose contract expires with the Nou Camp club next summer. (Sunday Times - subscription required)
Real Madrid are willing to sell winger Gareth Bale, 25, to Manchester United in January and plan to move for Chelsea's Eden Hazard, 23, as a replacement. (Metro)
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are all interested in buying Benfica forward Talisca, 20, who is valued at £35m. (Daily Star on Sunday)
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, 27, will turn down a return to Manchester United to seal a switch to Chelsea in the January transfer window. (Metro)
OTHER GOSSIP
Football suffers from "institutional discrimination" according to a report commissioned by the Sports People's Think Tank (SPTT), which is a new organisation founded by a group of former Premier League footballers. (Observer)
England boss Roy Hodgson has backed Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, 29, to break Peter Shilton's England caps record. (Sunday Mirror)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has branded former Gunners star Paul Merson 'a joke' for the pundit's outspoken attack on club's defence after their 3-3 Champions League draw against Anderlecht on Tuesday. (Sunday Telegraph)
Wenger believes that winger Theo Walcott is at risk of picking up another serious injury if he is rushed back to action too soon. The 25-year-old has played just 10 minutes since suffering a cruciate knee injury in January. (Inside Futbol)
Liverpool want to give striker Raheem Sterling, 19, a new £100,000-a-week contract that includes a £60m buy-out clause to ward off interest from Real Madrid. (Sunday Mirror)
BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez, 25, posts on twitter a photo of himself with team-mates and vows that the Gunners will be taking home the three points from Swansea on Sunday.
QPR striker Charlie Austin, 25, says on twitter that he would have swapped his goal in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Saturday for a win that would have lifted the Loftus Road club out of the relegation zone.
AND FINALLY
QPR midfielder Joey Barton reveals that he wound up the Paris St-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic last season while on loan at Marseille by telling the Swede that he had a "big nose" after the former AC Milan player called him an "English so and so". (Mail on Sunday)
Former Italy manager Arrigo Sacchi has criticised Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, 24, by claiming: "Balotelli is not a player, because a player moves as part of a team. He's just a footballer." (Sunday Express)
Mail
West Ham 0-0 Aston Villa: Villains end six-game losing run after goalless draw away at Hammers
Aston Villa end their six-game losing Premier League run with scoreless draw against West Ham at Upton Park
Paul Lambert's side had previously not collected a point since beating Liverpool in mid-September
Andy Carroll makes his first appearance of the season off the bench in the second half
The point lifts West Ham United into fourth place in the league on Saturday night
By Riath Al-samarrai
One run has ended and another continued, but only Paul Lambert had cause to smile about this result.
Sam Allardyce was far more preoccupied with how this one got away, even if it did mean West Ham have now gone five matches unbeaten in this excellent season of personal vindication.
Make no mistake, this game was there for the taking for a free-scoring team who suddenly got the jitters in front of goal. Never was that more obvious than in the frenzied late stages of the second half.
Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan (left) and Winston Reid of West Ham United clash during the second half of the match at Upton Park
Diafra Sakho, the Premier League player of the month for October, was guilty of one woeful header, Carl Jenkinson of another.
When Andy Carroll came on in stoppage time for his first appearance of the season, he caused mayhem in the air. Of course he did. What an asset he could be in this attack if his fitness holds up, but even his headers could find no way past Brad Guzan.
‘The sad thing is that when our finishing was very good their goalkeeper was even better,’ Allardyce said. ‘Other times I was a little disappointed with the finishing, given how good it has been. We are a little frustrated and disappointed, but we couldn’t do any more. We have to respect the point.’
A point flattered Aston Villa and delighted Lambert, their manager. Six defeats in a row was their worst top-flight run since 1964. At least that streak has gone, even if the hard times show no obvious sign of ending.
‘It was a really great point,’ Lambert said. ‘Brad Guzan did what he is paid for. His save at the end was world class. He’s a top guy, a top pro.
‘We put our bodies on the line and it is a massive point for us. Credit to the team, they took a lot of stick at times.’
Indeed, it really has been a tough season for them, even if Lambert insisted confidence is good. He also felt Villa ‘looked a threat’ but in truth they were largely blunt, as they have been for much of the season. A return of five goals from 11 games is dire.
The harsh suspension picked up by Christian Benteke against Tottenham last week didn’t help, and the lack of accuracy early on by his replacement, Gabriel Agbonlahor, made matters worse.
To the striker’s credit, he created the 12th-minute opening that should have put Villa in front. But having sped past James Collins to go clear, his shot was hopelessly high. Who knows how significant those moments could be in the course of a season?
West Ham United players observe a Rememberance Day silence prior to the match against Aston Villa at Upton Park
Players, officials and fans observe a Rememberance silence prior to the match in a general view of the scene at the Boleyn Ground
Aston Villa winger Charles N'Zogbia (left) vies for the ball with West Ham's defensive midfielder Alexandre Song
Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor is beaten in the air by West Ham United central defender James Collins (right)
Diafra Sakho of West Ham United holds off Ashley Westwood (right) of Aston Villa as he attempts to start an attack
From there it was often an unrewarded West Ham blitz. Collins almost atoned for his flat-footed defending with a header that Guzan did well to save.
And Sakho then headed wide from an Aaron Cresswell cross. Stewart Downing, meanwhile, followed his England call-up with another impressive performance. Set-pieces, runs from deep, long passes and fine crosses — at 30 he is having a fine late-career revival.
He forced a save from Guzan after 24 minutes and moments later retreated deep into his own half to thread a 50-yard pass through a crowd and into Cresswell’s path. He closed the half with a poor shot, but that was the only blot on a day when the quality of his deliveries was sublime.
Allardyce said: ‘I think people forget how exciting it is to see crossing and heading.’
And Villa? Andreas Weimann shot straight at Adrian from a good position, but the sad truth is that their nearest miss came when Winston Reid overhit a backpass and Adrian’s touch let the ball run close to the line.
Villa looked tighter at the back in the initial stages of the second half but were battered in the final 15 minutes.
Somehow Guzan was able to make the saves that kept them from conceding.
Sakho’s 78th-minute miss was the worst. Carlton Cole’s delivery was perfect but Sakho’s free header wasn’t even on target. Sakho missed a second header soon after and Jenkinson’s attempt went straight to Guzan.
With that, Carroll was sent on in stoppage time. He is often maligned but his gifts are obvious. Twice he beat a swarm of markers to meet Downing crosses. Twice Guzan denied him.
Carroll needs a run of games; Villa will simply be pleased to have ended their run of defeats.
West Ham United central defender Reid rises highest at the back to head away a long ball as N'Zogbia watches on
Aston Villa goalkeeper Guzan (right) charges out in an attempt to save from West Ham forward Enner Valencia
Carroll replaces team-mate Mark Noble for West Ham to make his first appearance of the season as boss Allardyce watches on
DISTANCE COVERED STATS
MINS PLD KM MILES
West Ham 112.7 70.0
Mark Noble 90 11.8 7.4
Aaron Cresswell 90 10.8 6.7
Stewart Downing 90 10.7 6.7
Aston Villa 116.4 72.4
Ashley Westwood 90 12.0 7.5
Andreas Weimann 90 10.9 6.8
Tom Cleverley 90 10.8 6.7
MATCH STATS
West Ham (4-1-3-2): Adrian 6; Jenkinson 6, Collins 6, Reid 6, Cresswell 6.5; Song 7; Kouyate 6 (Nolan 66, 6), Downing 7.5, Noble 6 (Carroll 90); Sakho 6, Valencia 6.5 (Cole 75, 6.5)
Subs (not used): Jaaskelainen, Tomkins, O'Brien, Amalfitano.
Aston Villa (4-1-4-1): Guzan 8; Lowton 6, Vlaar 7, Baker 5.5 (Senderos 88), Cissokho 6.5; Sanchez 6; N’Zogbia 6 (Clark 90), Westwood 6.5, Cleverley 6.5, Weimann 6; Agbonlahor 5
Subs (not used): Given, Bacuna, Cole, Bent, Richardson.
Booked: Cleverley, Weimann, Agbonlahor
Referee: Jon Moss
Attendance: 34,857
Guardian
Aston Villa end six-game losing streak with goalless draw at West Ham
David Hytner at Upton Park
Aston Villa's Nathan Baker tackles Diafra Sakho of West Ham United in the Premier League at Upton Park. Photograph: Christopher Lee/Getty Images
Seasoned West Ham United supporters had seen this coming. The club were riding the crest of a wave, playing slick, winning football and inspiring talk of Europe. Before the kick-off, there had been the announcement of manager and player of the month awards for Sam Allardyce and Diafra Sakho respectively while Aston Villa were on their worst run of form since the 1960s. So the subsequent stalemate was inevitable.
There was nearly a fairytale twist. Brought on as an injury-time substitute for his first game of the season, after ankle ligament damage, Andy Carroll’s first touch was to meet Stewart Downing’s cross with a thumping header that drew a stunning, reaction save from Brad Guzan. Paul Lambert, the Aston Villa manager, called the goalkeeper’s intervention world class.
West Ham came on strong towards the end, with Sakho blowing two headed opportunities and Carl Jenkinson another. Allardyce felt that Jenkinson’s chance in the 89th minute from another Downing cross – he could not generate any power from six yards out – was the clearest opportunity. There was even time for Carroll to work Guzan again from yet another header.
Allardyce said his switch from a diamond midfield formation to 4-2-3-1, which meant Downing moved from the middle to the left flank, was the prompt for West Ham to threaten the breakthrough. Yet the late flurry apart, it was pretty forgettable fare. With Arsenal not playing until Sunday at Swansea, West Ham edged into fourth place but the over-riding emotion for them was frustration.
“Villa are a frustrating team to break down but we did break them down several times,” Allardyce said. “We just couldn’t break down the goalkeeper. I was disappointed with our finishing.”
The happiness belonged to Lambert, who talked of a “great” and “deserved” point, which lifted a small portion of the gloom that had built after six consecutive Premier League defeats. Without the suspended Christian Benteke, Villa threatened only sporadically, but Lambert could salute the resilience of the performance with some justification. Ron Vlaar and Nathan Baker put their bodies on the line in central defence – Baker was injured in the 86th minute and was taken off on a stretcher – and then there was Guzan, who refused to be beaten.
The pattern was established early on; West Ham pressing on to the front foot and Villa looking to remain compact and plunder something on the counter. Their lack of goals has been a serious problem – they have five for the season – and they created little of clear-cut note, apart from a couple of first-half flurries.
Gabriel Agbonlahor, who played up front in Benteke’s absence, skated past James Collins after a loose pass by Mark Noble but he shot wildly while Andreas Weimann jinked and belted straight at Adrián after a burst from Charles N’Zogbia.
Downing, a former Villa midfielder had West Ham’s best moments in the first-half. His fierce shot on 22 minutes after good work by Sakho stung Guzan’s palms while he sliced another effort wide when well-placed. Collins thudded a header at Guzan from Downing’s corner and Noble had a shot blocked by Vlaar. Guzan also came for, and missed, a high ball and he was fortunate that Sakho’s header was off-target.
Telegraph
West Ham United 0 Aston Villa 0: Paul Lambert's side end losing run as Sam Allardyce reaches Champions League places
West Ham United vs Aston Villa, Premier League match report - Andy Carroll makes his return from injury but fails to find the target as visitors end six-game losing streak
By Jon West, Upton Park
Battling point: Ron Vlaar and Brad Guzan celebate Aston Villa's draw at West Ham United Photo: GETTY IMAGES
Aston Villa ended a six-game losing streak by claiming a point at West Ham United, who moved into the Champions League slots.
Paul Lambert's side rode their luck for much of the game, especially in the first half and right at the end.
The final minutes saw Andy Carroll make his long-awaited return from injury for West Ham - and twice Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan made saves to keep out his headers.
The home side's began with a flurry of pressure that saw Guzan save James Collins' header and Diafra Sakho and Mark Noble have efforts blocked.
Guzan was at fault however when Sakho beat him to a high ball and the American was relieved to see the header drop just wide.
But Guzan then pulled off a great save to deny Stewart Downing, although Villa, second best for so long, might have taken the lead in the 38th minute had Andreas Weimann not fired straight at Adrian.
Tom Cleverely came close early in the second half for the visitors but the game soon went off the boil and West Ham decided to make a change with 23 minutes to go.
The fit-again Carroll was ignored as it was Kevin Nolan who was sent on.
Carlton Cole soon joined him and floated a cross for Sakho to head wastefully wide and the summer signing then failed to hit the target in the same manner from a delivery from the other flank.
Villa were lucky that a Cole stayed on his feet following a mis-timed tackle in the box by Nathan Baker, and that referee Jonathan Moss stopped the attack because the defender had been hurt and had to be stretchered off.
The game ended Carroll coming on in stoppage time and Villa somehow holding out in a frantic finale that saw the target man twice denied by Guzan.
Mail
Come on you (grid) Irons! Dallas Cowboys cheer on West Ham before Wembley clash
Dallas Cowboys players and staff watched West Ham take on Aston Villa
The Premier League encounter finished goalless at Upton Park
Cowboys take on the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on Sunday
By Dave Wood
Gridiron met the Irons on Saturday as players from the Dallas Cowboys watched West Ham take on Aston Villa at Upton Park.
Placekicker Dan Bailey and tight end Gavin Escobar were among those who took time out from preparing for Sunday's NFL showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley.
Players from the Dallas Cowboys watched West Ham take on Aston Villa on Saturday
A goalless draw failed to dampen their enthusiasm for the other type of football.
The Cowboys have been in London since Tuesday morning and owner/general manager Jerry Jones is among those in favour of a London franchise..
'On a personal basis and speaking for the Dallas Cowboys we very much would like to have a team in London,' he said.
'It has cache. It has an air about it of international competition I think that London is probably one of two or three cities outside of the United States that really does have all of the criteria that I would look at for having an NFL team.
Players and staff enjoyed the Premier League clash despite it ending in a goalless draw
C&H
Reid: Irons start to face the realities!
ClaretandHugh understands that despite regular talks with the player over recent weeks and his agent the club is no closer to getting a reaction to their new contract offer.
The Hammers are nearly at their limits having gone beyond £60k a week but are now becoming resigned to the fact that Reid looks more likely to take advantage of several options he is likely to get as a free agent next summer.
And with such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United likely to be in the market for a defender, they believe the New Zealander is unlikely to agree a new deal ahead of the winter or summer windows.
A very well placed Boleyn source told us: “The club could hardly do more – they have really pushed the boat out but it seems more and more apparent that Winston wants to wait until he’s a free agent.
“The club has been talking regularly to Reid’s advisers and that had raised hopes a deal may be on but the reality is we are really no closer.
“The club remain desperate to do a deal but there’s now a realism that despite attending talks he and his agents may be simply going through the motions.
“We want him to sign but he’s looking at all angles and we believe it’s as much about Europe as it is money. However, as a free agent there could be some £100k a week offers out there with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal looking for defenders.
“Whilst we are talking there’s always hope but we have to start being realistic about things.”
Matt Jarvis out, Andros Townsend in at West Ham?
West Ham look to continue their impressive business
Reliable Twitter source @ExWHUemployee is reporting that West Ham will look to sell winger Matt Jarvis in January.
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Likewise Jarvis returning to fitness and not seen as an important first teamer now. We will look to sell him in January
— ExWHUemployee (@ExWHUemployee) November 8, 2014
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Injuries to the former Wolves man, along with Sam Allardyce’s prefence to use Stewart Downing at the tip of the four man midfield diamond, has led to an absence of playing time for Matt Jarvis.
Indeed, with the one-time England international not even in the matchday squad to face Aston Villa yesterday, it’s clear that the winger is no longer in Sam Allardyce’s plans.
Should West Ham receive a decent fee for Jarvis come January, the money could be spent on out-of-favour Spurs winger Andros Townsend.
The Telegraph reported back in October that the Hammers were monitoring Townsend’s situation at Tottenham, and should Mauricio Pochettino complete a rumoured move for Jay Rodgriguez, West Ham may well swoop in to sign their man.
C&H
Hammers on the Jarvis/Townsend link
Speculation that Matt Jarvis is on his way out of Upton Park and Tottenham’s Andros Townsend is on his way in. has been rubbished by the club.
ClaretandHugh has established over the last few minutes that there is no truth in the link whatsoever and that the Irons are more than happy to allow the former Wolves man to fight for his place.
A well placed source said: “Matt Jarvis is in the same position as several other players, he’s fighting for a recall, We are a different club from last season – there’s competition everywhere.
“It smacks of the Andy Carroll talk, that he would be allowed to move because of the form of other strikers. It’s silly. We want as many good players as we can get in the squad.
“To be discussing Matt as a possible departure is wrong simply because we don’t want to sell him nor have there been any inquiries since last summer when West Brom wanted him on loan.
“The Townsend link simply isn’t right at all and it seems that some agents are busy trying to concoct something. There’s absolutely nothing in it.”
The Hammers. however, are looking to move Ricardo Vaz Te out on loan and will consider offers.
