Team News

James Tomkins poses the only injury concern to West Ham with manager Sam Allardyce set to name a starting line-up, which should house Andy Carroll in his final match before returning to Liverpool.

Jimmy Kebe and Jason Roberts are the only absentee’s for Reading as they prepare to bow out of the Premier League after just one season.

Sam Allardyce…“We split the season up into phases and we thought that our maximum ask this year, if everything went according to plan, would be 10th in the Premier League. We have tried everything to reach it and aimed for that. If you say: ‘come on, we can finish sixth’, they just know that’s going to be a tall order. Tenth was our maximum which means I think we’ve overachieved this year.”

Nigel Adkins… “I think we already have finished on a high note. Over the last seven or eight weeks there’s been a good progression from what we’ve wanted to do. The players are in a good state of mind, looking forward there’s a lot of belief about what we’re doing for the future.  We’ve got a driving ambition, we want to be back in the Barclays Premier League. The players are well aware of what’s going to be required of them next season and there’s a feel good factor about the place.”

Match Statistic: 39% of Reading’s goals have come in the final 15 minutes of games this season – the highest in the Premier League.

Prediction: West Ham United 2-0 Reading

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West Ham has an illustrious history as being one of the pillars of the Premier League over the years and those past and present who have walked through Upton Park have enjoyed great success. Whilst the London lifestyle often leads some to gambling and the casino, there have been those who have made sure they found sure-fire beauties elsewhere.

When a side is newly promoted to the Premier League as the Irons recently have been, there are those who are players who remain on the fringes itching to play and get involved in the action. It is a shock though when the players decide to give up on the cause with relegation always a prospect that is to be avoided at all costs.

A bitterness still remains at how Jermain Defoe was so lacklustre and threw his toys out the pram on the pitch when the Hammers had been in the Championship, but when he was achieving away from the limelight his nonchalance suddenly became more understandable. There has been plenty of female attention away from Upton Park.

To see the female admirers for West Ham players click on Imogen Thomas

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is hoping to bring West Brom loanee Romelu Lukaku to Upton Park this summer as a move for Andy Carroll seems to have stalled, according to the Daily Mail.

The Chelsea striker has been in fine form for the Baggies this season and is hopeful of impressing the Blues’ new manager when pre-season gets under way.

The West London club may be willing to sell the Belgian powerhouse this summer if he isn’t in the new manager’s plans however West Ham would only be looking for a loan deal.

The Hammers are desperate to bring current striker Carroll to the East End on a permanent deal this summer but Liverpool are yet to agree to a cut price fee and the striker was hoping for a move back to his hometown club Newcastle United.

Allardyce signed his new deal at Upton Park this week and is hoping Carroll follows suit as West Ham look to improve on their top half finish this season.

The whole West Ham squad was suited and booted and out in force at the Grosvenor Hotel, in London.

It was a particularly action packed night for loanee Andy Carroll and midfielder powerhouse Mohamed Diame, both whom picked up multiple awards.

Andy Carroll leapt to the stage twice on the evening as he was named Chairman’s player of the season along with the award for top scorer, although he did have to share the accolade with best mate Kevin Nolan.

Diame however managed to go one better than team mate Carroll, as he picked up an awards night hat-trick after a brilliant first season at Upton Park.

The Senegalese star was on-stage for both Goal of the season and individual performance of the season, but his biggest award was yet to come. There was no doubt that the two previous awards helped him on his way to the third, as he scooped the award for signing of the season, right from under the nose of Carroll.

It’s safe to say that the pairing have had fairly successful seasons for the Hammers’, but what now?

With the season drawing to an end, and the transfer window gently edging open, where do we stand with our best players?

There’s no doubt that the permanent signing of Andy Carroll is the top of the agenda for both Gold and Sullivan, but should keeping Diame at the club seek precedence?

We, as fans, were fully aware that there were many admirers of the midfielder in January, mainly because of the contract clause currently in his contract. It is believed that Diame has a release clause of just £3.5 million, which in Premier League standards is pittance. Meaning that there could be many more suitors coming our way this summer.

Carroll however is on the other end of the transfer scale, as the club are expected to cough up, up to £15 million. It’d be a signing that would smash the previous transfer record that was set when Matt Jarvis was signed from Wolves, it would also be a massive signal of intent from the board as they try and move forward.

But a signal of intent is realistically all we can offer as a club. We have to accept that if any club was to come in with European football under their belt then we’d be blown out of the water, no matter what good intentions the club have going forward.

I’m sure many fans of the club, including me, expect Diame to be gone by the end of the summer, especially if his latest performance at Everton was anything to go by. The midfielder was incredibly lethargic throughout and was replaced at half-time by Big Sam having been somewhat anonymous throughout.

Rumours are rife that we’d like the deal for Carroll to be done sooner rather than later. With some sources even suggesting that the club could strike a deal with Liverpool before Sunday’s end of season finale against Reading.

Signing Carroll is obviously a great signal of intent, but it feels like it’s going too easily so far. Are we able to sign Carroll because he is set on the club and loves the direction we’re going in? Or are we likely to sign the striker largely unchallenged because nobody, including Liverpool, wants the striker?

I get the feeling that it’s the latter.

The Moroccan international has managed just seven appearances this season, including a disappointing loan spell at West Ham and has admitted that he is likely to be sold by the Gunners.

The 29-year-old has only found the net 14 times since arriving in England and has now revealed he is missing France, hinting that he could return to Bordeaux.

“There is always a bit of nostalgia when I see the Bordeaux fans and players. I spent so many good times here,” he said.

“However it has been three years since I left and we always talk about me here. I’ll ask myself the question again; I’ll see.

“Everyone knows that Bordeaux is the club in my heart. I’ll have to make sacrifices because I cannot stay like this. If I find an agreement with Bordeaux, why not.”

England boss Roy Hodgson has handed Andy Carroll the opportunity to return to the national side after impressing in the league.

The Liverpool man has spent the season out on loan with West Ham, where he has scored seven times in 23 games.

Carroll has struggled with injuries over the campaign, but has done enough to impress Sam Allardyce who is keen on securing a permanent move from Merseyside.

Hodgson believes that the national side needs someone with the former Newcastle man’s style of play to provide a different option for the upcoming friendlies with the Republic of Ireland and Brazil.

Hodgson said: “”I’m not worried about his playing style.

“There’s always going to be room for a player of his type and his class who can hold the ball up.”

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Sam Allardyce’s side lost 2-0 away to Everton last Sunday, and the 24-year-old believes that they must give the fans something to be proud of in their final game of the term.

Victory over Nigel Adkins’ side on Sunday will guarantee the Hammers a top-half finish in their first season back in the top-flight.

The Wales international also revealed he is excited for next year and feels that the club has responded well to relegation two years ago.

Collison said: “We’re really looking forward to the Reading game, back at home, in front of our fans and hopefully we’ll have reasons to celebrate. It has been a magnificent season for us. Safety was the main aim and we’ll look to finish as high as possible and put on a real show for our fans.

“Reading have been our bogey team over the last two seasons and obviously we’re going to try to send out a statement and score as many goals as we can.”

And with no World Cup or Euro competitions to look forward to this summer, what exactly do we have to keep us entertained in the coming months?

You could don an item of knitwear and stand in a field for numerous hours with the, albeit temperamental, sun baring down on you.

That is however as dull as it sounds, with the only slight perks of the job being the amazing lunch you get at half time, or at least I think it’s called half-time…

There is of course a Rugby League World Cup this year.

That will probably appeal to those of us that like a traditional media build up to a Three Lions squad competition before the ultimately inevitable painful exit of an England squad.

Well, I don’t know about you, but my heart can only take a painful England exit every other year, otherwise I’d be likely to slip into permanent depression, so that crosses Rugby off my list.

Other than that you could spend a few weeks of your summer sitting on Henman Hill, cheering on Andy ‘Charisma’ Murray with strawberries in hand.

You could clear the moth balls off your suit, shine your shoes, and get down to Royal Ascot to cheer on the nags.

Or, you could even buy tickets to this summer’s premier angling competition, ‘Fish-o-Mania’.

I know, I know, none of these really compare to the feeling you get half way through the week when you know football day is just a few sleeps away.

So if none of those options really get your pulse racing, than why not just wait for the new season to commence by following the transfer window’s ins and outs.

You can keep up with the window by following various media outlets or ITK’S (In the knows.)

I however wouldn’t recommend following ITK’s on social media platforms, they’re generally 14-year old boys, and following little boys is generally frowned upon, that is unless you used to work for the BBC.

I  personally have already reached transfer window mode, and have compiled a top 10 transfer targets for West Ham below.

They are in no particular order, so feel free to comment, condone, or bemoan my choices.

Click on Andy Carroll to start the countdown and get your transfer fix

The striker has impressed on a season-long loan at West Bromwich Albion, scoring 14 goals to help the Baggies up to a top-10 Premier League finish.

He is set to return to parent club Chelsea next week and wants immediate talks to try and sort out his future, with plenty of top-flight clubs watching his situation closely.

It is thought the Blues, whose focus has been on Wednesday’s Europa League final, could decide to give him a chance at Stamford Bridge next season although they could again opt to send him out on loan.

West Brom would be keen to secure his services for a second-successive campaign, but they would face big competition from the Hammers, Fulham, Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle – to name just four – who have all also been linked with the Belgian ace.

Chelsea could even decide to sell the front-man permanently for the right price, but clubs would likely have to fork out around £15million for the 20-year-old.

The Hammers have made no secret of the fact they want the former Newcastle man to stay on at Upton Park as he has impressed on a season-long loan from Liverpool.

Both boss Sam Allardyce and co-owner David Sullivan have expressed their desire to sign the 24-year-old permanently this summer but they are unwilling to pay the £18million the Reds are widely said to want for a player they spent £35million on when recruiting him from St James’ Park in 2011.

Carroll himself is open to a full-time Hammers move although he has also said he believes he could yet force his way into Brendan Rodgers’ plans at Anfield if given the chance next season.

New reports say talks are planned between West Ham and the player following the final game of the Premier League season against Reading on Sunday, before they will then attempt to reach an agreement with Liverpool over a deal.

Newcastle remain interested in their former centre-forward but are also unlikely to want to fork out the current asking price.