Parker returns for derby clash

Posted Sunday, October 25, 2009 by PA

Scott Parker returns for West Ham against Arsenal on Sunday, after serving a one-match suspension for picking up five yellow cards.

Danny Gabbidon hopes to start after recovering from a calf problem, and Kieron Dyer (hamstring) could be in the squad. Dean Ashton (ankle), Luis Boa Morte (knee) and Calum Davenport( leg) are all long-term absentees.

Gianfranco Zola wants to make the Hammers so attractive that a billionaire will dig deep into his pockets and put the club on a firm financial footing.

He wants to start the process of luring a big-money benefactor by beating Arsenal in the London derby at Upton Park afternoon to spark a climb up the Premier League table.

He said: "I would love to see more tranquility around this club. We dealt very well with the problems last year because we focused on the pitch and made things much easier for everybody.

"If you make things happen on the football pitch then everything becomes easier. If we play like we can maybe a billionaire can come and buy us, anything can happen. It is all about playing football well and getting points."

Zola makes it sound simple but it has been anything but for his West Ham team, who have not won a league match since beating Wolves on the opening day of the season.

To make matters worse the Hammers are in financial meltdown. Their future remains uncertain as Straumur, the stricken Icelandic bank which owns them, strives desperately to find new investment.

The asking price is #100million. Debts are reported at anywhere between #40-50million. If a new owner is not found soon almost certainly Zola will have to raise cash by selling more top stars to go along with the 10 senior professionals who have been sold since June 2008.

The little Italian, however, is not fazed by his first traumatic time in management.

True, he admits to a few sleepless nights and he insists he will not be changing his philosophy of attacking, fluent football at all cost. But if he is frantically paddling beneath the water line then it does not show as he wears an almost permanent grin.

He says: "There are clubs in the league which have much bigger debts than us. As far as I know the owners of the club believe in what we are doing.

"We want to keep the best players and I know exactly what I have to do and I'm doing my best."

Arsenal expect to have both Croatia striker Eduardo (groin) and Nicklas Bendtner (groin) available for the trip to West Ham on Sunday.

Winger Tomas Rosicky (knee) will miss out and Theo Walcott is set for around a month on the sidelines following knee medial ligament damage.

Samir Nasri, who broke his leg during pre-season, and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (knee) are both close to a first-team return, but midfielder Denilson (back) and centre-half Johan Djourou (knee) remain out.

Arsene Wenger has plenty of sympathy for Zola, as the West Ham manager continues to battle against problems caused by the credit crunch.

Arsenal are proud of their self-sustaining business model, built around the 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium which, so far, has seen them not need to rely solely on the financial input of one individual.

The Hammers, though, are one of several Premier League clubs whose owners have found themselves troubled by the recent economic downturn, as their Icelandic former chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson was hit hard and forced to sell the club.

Wenger can empathise with the plight of the Italian coach, on whom he will look to increase the pressure by making it five league wins in a row.

"I have a big deal of sympathy for him," Wenger told reporters.

"I believe he is doing well, but of course he has lost players, and like a lot of teams they have had to cut their expenses.

"From then on it becomes more difficult."

Wenger, speaking to Arsenal TV Online, reflected: "When the quality of a football club is linked with the financial situation of any given person, you have a risk involved that the club could suffer because of the personal situation of the owner."

The Gunners boss, though, believes under the circumstances, Zola is doing an admirable job.

"I believe no matter what kind of players you have, it is always important to play in a positive way as it is the best way to be successful. That is what he tries to do," Wenger said.

"Zola has had good results at the end of last season. This season he has had less good results, but there is still a long way to go."