WHUFC.com
Carlton Cole and Benni McCarthy both scored in what was a polished
performance in Germany
17.07.2010
VfL Borussia Monchengladbach 0-2 West Ham United
Two superb goals from Carlton Cole and Benni McCarthy gave the Hammers a
fine victory in the picturesque town of Ruhpolding on Saturday night.
Cheered on by a loyal band of travelling Hammers near the German-Austrian
border, Avram Grant's side were always on top on what was a competitive
encounter. Carlton Cole was the captain for the day and he made it two goals
from two matches with a fine header before McCarthy struck a fantastic
volleyed second - his first in claret and blue - soon after the interval.
It made it two wins from two this pre-season after last Wednesday's 2-1 win
at Peterborough United while there was also the positive of a strong opening
45 minutes from Kieron Dyer and the midfield dominance of Mark Noble and
Thomas Hitzlsperger. James Tomkins played the longest of any of the Hammers
with 81 minutes at the heart of the defence and excelled throughout.
The match will have made for interesting viewing for new recruit Frederic
Piquionne, who met his team-mates for the first time in Saturday morning's
light training session, and Scott Parker. The Hammer of the Year only began
his pre-season this week after his England exertions. The squad will be
boosted by Monday's arrival of Robert Green, Jonathan Spector, Matthew Upson
and Valon Behrami.
Pablo Barrera, meanwhile, is back in Mexico for a couple of days before
returning to London. The Hammers will continue their training camp over the
coming week before taking on Greek champions Panathinaikos in Kitzbuhel next
Friday. The pre-season fixtures will culminate with a glamour home friendly
against RC Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday 7 August.
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Reserves edged out
WHUFC.com
Former Hammers schoolboy Matt Bodkin was Thurrock's hero at Ship Lane on
Saturday
17.07.2010
Thurrock 1-0 West Ham United XI
A youthful West Ham United XI fell to a narrow pre-season friendly defeat at
Blue Square South side Thurrock on Saturday afternoon. Matt Bodkin, who had
a spell within the Hammers Academy as a schoolboy, was the hosts'
match-winner, unleashing an unstoppable long-range volley past Sam Cowler at
Ship Lane.
Substitutes Danny Subuola, Danny Purdy and Callum McNaughton all came close
to snatching a draw for Alex Dyer's side, while Thurrock's Craig Pope saw a
25-yard strike cannon back off the crossbar. With traffic on the nearby M25
at a standstill, defenders Paco Craig and McNaughton were delayed, meaning
Sergio Sanchez partnered Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson at the heart of the back
four. Filip Modelski and Jordan Brown filled the full-back positions. In
front of them, Olly Lee, Eoin Wearen and George Moncur made up a three-man
midfield, with Jack Werndly, Ahmed Abdulla and Robert Hall interchanging in
attack. Lee and Moncur were first to threaten for the visitors, but neither
could keep their long-range shots on target before Hall saw his effort
deflected into the arms of goalkeeper Joe Woolley. As so often happens in
football, the opening goal arrived totally against the run of play, with
Thurrock scoring with virtually their first attack of the game. When the
ball broke to Bodkin 30 yards from goal, he took a touch and sent a wicked
volley that looped agonisingly over Cowler and into the net in spectacular
fashion. Hall nearly replied within a minute, only to drag his shot a yard
wide after a neat turn on the edge of the penalty area.
Moncur and Lee were both seeing plenty of possession as the half wore on,
and the two sons of famous fathers almost combined to level the scores on 27
minutes, only for Woolley to save smartly after Lee had latched on to
Moncur's brilliant through ball.
Half-time saw Dyer make no fewer than six changes, with Craig and McNaughton
among those to be handed a second-half run out. The manager also switched
from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2 formation. West Ham should have been level within
two minutes of the restart when the alert Werndly robbed Woolley before
feeding Subuola. The striker had just centre-back Rob Swaine to beat from 12
yards, only for the defender to block his low shot. Thurrock nearly made the
most of their let-off twice in the space of five minutes a short time later.
First Reiss Gilbey could only stab a cross from the lively Ryan Andrews
narrowly wide of the far post, then right-back Craig Pope strode forward
before shaking Deniz Mehmet's crossbar with a well-struck shot from 25
yards. Mehmet then took an accidental whack to the face that necessitated
lengthy treatment and a change of shirt before the Turkey U18 international
could continue. Dyer's youngsters continued to plug away, but could not find
a way past a staunch Thurrock rearguard, with the sliding Pope denying
Subuola what looked to be a certain goal with a well-timed block. Republic
of Ireland U17 forward Purdy curled a free-kick narrowly wide before Mehmet
showed no ill-effects from his earlier injury to deny substitute Paul Olima
with a superb save. Into the final ten minutes and Purdy came within a
whisker of snatching a draw for the Hammers, only to see his set piece curl
inches wide of the target with Woolley stranded. Moments later, Purdy's
corner landed on the head of McNaughton, only for the flame-haired defender
to see his effort loop just past the post. The reserves will return to
action on Saturday, when Dyer will take a side up the M1 to face League Two
side Burton Albion, with kick-off at 3pm.
West Ham United XI: Cowler (Mehmet 46), Modelski (Driver 46), Eyjolfsson
(Purdy 68), Sanchez, Brown, Wearen (McNaughton 46), Moncur (Vose 46), Lee,
Abdulla (Subuola 46), Hall (Craig 46), Werndly
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FATY CLAIMS ENGLISH OFFERS
News Of The World
By Adam Marshall, 17/07/2010
RICARDO FATY claims to have been approached by Blackburn and West Ham. The
Roma midfielder is keen to quit the Italian capital in order to play more
regular first-team football. Although a return to France is favoured by the
former Strasbourg man, he has a number of options as he ponders his next
move.
"The French League is a great league but I know that I'm wanted in England
and Greece and I have had requests from Blackburn, West Ham, AEK Athens and
Olympiacos," he stated. Faty, 23, is a holding midfield player who has been
compared to Patrick Vieira in the past.
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HAMMERS EYE MIDFIELD ENFORCER
News Of The World
By Dan King
WEST HAM are looking at Serbian midfield enforcer Radosav Petrovic. The
21-year-old Partizan Belgrade player, who was part of his country's squad at
the World Cup, was expected to choose between Sporting Lisbon, Racing
Santander and Fiorentina. But Hammers boss Avram Grant is so keen on 6ft
4ins Petrovic that the player has delayed his decision to see if the
Londoners make a concrete offer. Grant snapped up Mexico winger Pablo
Barrera and Lyon striker Frederic Piquionne on Friday.
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LUKAS AID FOR HAMMERS BOSS GRANT
News Of The World
By Adam Marshall, 17/07/2010
LUKAS KONIGSHOFER is bidding to impress Avram Grant and earn a move to West
Ham. The Austria Under-21 keeper is being monitored during a trial stint
with the Hammers ahead of a proposed switch to Upton Park. Grant is looking
at drafting in a new goalie to act as cover for Rob Green. Konigshofer, 21,
had a similar spell with Blackburn last year and it's believed that Rapid
Vienna will not stand in his way if the right offer is forthcoming.
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