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Carroll service for West Ham, prayers for Spurs

Andy Carroll had the chance to impress from the start on Saturday © PA Photos

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He who hesitates is lost
One manager was unafraid to throw his big deadline day acquisition straight into the fray on Saturday, the other was content to keep him on the bench. That was the entire reason why West Ham beat Fulham, we are sure of it. As Dimitar Berbatov watched on from somewhere over Martin Jol's right shoulder, Andy Carroll was putting himself about as the Hammers built a commanding 3-0 lead. New players cannot make an impact unless they are on the pitch - although Fulham may yet have the last laugh, as Carroll came off injured in the second half as Berbatov strolled through an ineffectual (but crucially injury free) substitute appearance.

Who you gonna call?
After being held to a draw at home to Norwich, Andre Villas-Boas's Spurs side were booed by some quarters of the White Hart Lane (not-so) faithful. That means they now have two points from three games. One more defeat, and might it be time to call upon a certain wheeler-dealer?

Transfer fee is what you make of it
The sums clubs pay for players, particularly more established ones, are often judged by what said player has already achieved in his career - rather than what he might go on to achieve with his new side. Many people immediately laughed at Sunderland for paying £12 million for Steven Fletcher from Wolves but, after two goals in the first half of his debut against Swansea, it already looks like shrewd business. He's already got the fans and manager on side - some players who cost a lot more (ahem, Fernando Torres) and a lot less (ahem, Michael Owen) take much longer to do that. Regardless of price, Fletcher has started like a bargain.

What might have been
Having come on as a second-half substitute, Tom Huddlestone hardly covered himself in glory as he was shown a straight red card minutes from the final whistle. Let's leave to one side the fact the dismissal looked incredibly harsh, it was hardly the best way for the midfielder to convince Villas-Boas he deserves to be a key part of his plans. On the other hand, it does suggest he would have been a perfect fit at Stoke, the club who tried to sign him before the deadline...

Worst. Leaving Present. Ever.
New Tottenham signing Hugo Lloris was not registered in time to face Norwich on Saturday, so instead he returned to old club Lyon for one last time, in order to say goodbye to players and fans. In an emotional presentation on the pitch at Stade Gerland (he and Lisandro Lopez shared a very bro-mantic hug) as a farewell gift to the long-serving goalkeeper he was presented with a ... goalkeeper's shirt. Without wanting to jump to any conclusions, after 144 league appearances for the club we reckon he might have kept hold of enough of those to last a lifetime. Could they not have got him a watch or something?

Naming rights
Not the Premier League, but certainly worth noting that Sheffield United unveiled their renamed 'Jessica Ennis Stand' at Bramall Lane. The stand was christened with a blockbuster game, as the Blades eventually ran out 5-3 winners. Now, all that remains to be seen is whether Arsenal follow suit with a tribute to big Gunners fan Mo Farah...

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