Curbishley to bend over to an old friend

[abramovich]

Angry Chelsea fear West Ham won’t be up for Old Trafford clash against title rivals Manchester United

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... =1779&ct=5

Chelsea are furious with West Ham manager Alan Curbishley for claiming that it would be 'a great injustice' if Manchester United failed to win the league.

Curbishley's side travel to Old Trafford tomorrow for a match that could have a decisive influence on the outcome of this season's championship race.

Chelsea boss Avram Grant will today take Curbishley to task for promising to 'raise a glass' to his old friend Sir Alex Ferguson if he sees off the Blues to claim a 10th Barclays Premier League title.

He will draw attention to a newspaper column in which Curbishley said: 'It has not been a fluke that his side have been so attractive to watch and produced some thrilling football to match their results.

'It is the reason they stand on the brink of winning the Championship for the 17th time, and the general feeling among most managers is that they would like to see them crowned again.'

In the column published nine days ago, Curbishley added: 'It would be a great injustice if Manchester United were to lose the Premier League title. I would raise a glass if United win the title. It would be, of course, a toast to Alex Ferguson, the best there is and may ever be.'

Grant will refer to those remarks at his press conference before attending the funeral of Frank Lampard's mother, Pat.

By implicitly questioning Curbishley's desire to beat his old friend, he doubtless hopes to spur West Ham to another great performance against a side they have beaten in their last three encounters and help deny United that 17th league title.

Curbishley, who believes Fergie will continue in charge until he beats Liverpool's record of 18 top-flight triumphs, insists Sir Alex can accept no favours, saying yesterday: 'The world will be watching and we've got to put in a performance and show what we can do.'

But to further fuel Chelsea fears of football conspiring to aid United, Wigan Warriors rugby league club have moved their Challenge Cup match against Whitehaven from tomorrow week to the following Monday to avoid damaging the JJB Stadium pitch the day before the Old Trafford club's visit on the final day of the Premier League season.

[Mr Chelsea]

i'm sure west ham will be all out to take out the mancs regardless of curbishleys silly opinions

and as for the wigan pitch, i doubt the egg chasing not been played on it will make that much of a difference to the top soil they play on

[abramovich]

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/ ... 28,00.html

Hammers won't roll over - Parker

West Ham's former Chelsea midfielder Scott Parker has hit out at suggestions his side will not be trying to beat Manchester United on Saturday.

Blues boss Avram Grant is unhappy that Alan Curbishley claimed that 'it would be an injustice if Manchester United didn't win the title'.

Curbishley is likely to distance himself from his comments by claiming he was 'misquoted' but the row between the two clubs has already erupted.

Grant insisted that Curbishley, who has a close friendship with United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, was 'wrong' to air his views in a recent newspaper column.

West Ham meet United at Old Trafford in Saturday's early kick-off while Chelsea are at Newcastle on Monday night.

But as the row rumbled on, Parker has hit back by claiming it was out of order to question his manager's integrity.

West Ham are five points ahead of Tottenham in 10th place and are on added bonuses to finish in the top 10. They have beaten United on the last three occasions they have met.

"We're certainly not going to roll over," said Parker. "We're professional footballers and we take pride in what we do. We have to try to take something out of the game for ourselves.

"We can't get involved or even spend too much time looking at what the game means for Manchester United.

"We want to finish in 10th spot. We would see it as a massive disappointment if we did not manage it after being in that position in the table for so long.

"We have to try and take something out of the game for ourselves."

Earlier Grant had voiced his disappointment with Curbishley's comments saying: "Look, I'm not doubting the integrity of West Ham. I don't have a reason to doubt the integrity of Alan Curbishley.

"But I think it's wrong to say things like this because he's involved in the games against United. West Ham won against them in the last three games.

"I don't think it's a good idea to say things like this. I cannot be angry. I will not be angry.

"I do not know what to say about these things, but I think it's wrong. But I do not have any reason to doubt the integrity of him or his club.

"West Ham are more interested in the success of their club, to win their games. If they have wishes for others, you have to ask them.

"I've heard so many rumours in the last few weeks. I heard that the referees would be with United, that teams would play for United, that this manager is a friend of Alex Ferguson. I don't know what to believe."

[Alan]

A Carlton Cole hat-trick would do nicely.

[MannyJello]

i play in a silly pub league. we are almost all out of shape. we play in the 3rd open division. there is absolutely nothing to play for. there have been times near the end of the season that our team is losing, we are stuck in the middle of the table, the match is almost over -- and everyone on my team is busting his @ss to hustle for a loose ball or going into a 50-50 challenge like the world depended on it. i had a mild injury once that caused me to limp, but we had no subs left so i had to finish the match, we're in stoppage time down 3-1 and i am running like crazy to get to a ball and the ref -- the REF -- is yelling to me to slow down, the game's over, it doesn't matter anyway. didn't matter, i still played my hardest, as we all did, because of pride.

that story is told for one reason -- we are not an exceptional group by any means. that is normal behavior on the football pitch.

i have no doubt that, even if Curbs wouldn't mind helping out an old friend, his players will be playing their hardest against ManUre this weekend.

[BLUENUT]

The funny thing is that If West Ham take the lead

They'll probably be a chorus of 'Stick your blue falg up your arse'

Oh the irony..........

More ironic is that if it's a last minute winner.........I'll f*king join in with 'em

[BlueBosnian]

West Ham has nothing to play for... And they're playing away to Manchester Untd who promissed to play their strongest team in the next two games. It doesn't look good at all, but I believed when we drew against Wigan, and I'll still believe until the final day. Let's go to Newcastle and get us 3 points. That should be our main concern.

[geezer]

All we can do is win our last two games and see what happens with the Mancs. We have to win to keep the pressure on right until the 94th or 95th minute (or however long Fergie wants added on ) of the last game.

[Lofty]

I had a dream ... Chelsea 21 - Bolton 0 .... and then I woke up wondering if that was enough to snatch it on goal difference

[clubhappy]

I had a dream ... Chelsea 21 - Bolton 0 .... and then I woke up wondering if that was enough to snatch it on goal difference

Thats why i voted for ya as funniest poster

Hopefully Curbishley will regret his comment and try hard to take points at Old Trafford because if he gets walloped the eyes of suspicion will be all over him.

[June]

I had a dream ... Chelsea 21 - Bolton 0 .... and then I woke up wondering if that was enough to snatch it on goal difference

I hope you realized that it means one goal in every 4 minutes.

[dkw]

I hope you realized that it means one goal in every 4 minutes.

its possible june. isnt the record score something daft like 35-0? its not very likely though.i think we`ll get to 15 and try and defend the last 20 minutes.........

[coco]

1-0 West Spam lie down.

[Maksimov]

Well, it took entire three minutes...

[MannyJello]

fecking hell. glad i woke up at 4:30 a.m. to watch this.

(Zamora nearly scored there, though i'm sure the ref would have whistled him for a foul on VDS if he had)

[Alan]

Apparently West Ham should have had a penalty. Clearly they don't know that you just don't get penalties given against Utd at Old Trafford.

[Mod]

2-0 Manyoo!

[June]

Is Ronaldo lucky or what?

[Mod]

I know West Ham are crap, but there's nothing coming from them..

See.. 3-0 now

[loz]

Seen enough and am turning it off. Now relying on Wigan! West Ham haven't shown up at all.

[Mod]

It really lives upto this thread title. Nevermind West Ham, at least now you can live with Spuds possibly finishing above you.

Ashton 3-1

[MannyJello]

i have no energy to waste any further keystrokes arguing about the PK that should have been. apparently at OT you can bat at the ball with your arms like a retard as long as you're under pressure and you will *earn* a foul.

the saddest part is that i don't think the spammers are laying down...they are just that poor.

(speaking of my silly pub league, this is starting to look like it...4 goals through 28 minutes???)

[Mod]

Ashton's goal was quality though!

[valim]

we dont have hopes for this games

but we can hope if wigan lose today

and bolton reading birmigham Middlesbrough win alls

today

and wigan in games with man utd need win to survive

hope for thats

[valim]

red card for man utd

gogoggo west ham hard but not impossible