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Hammers srtriker scores a screamer

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Rising Hammers under 23 prospect Mipo Odubeko scored a cracking goal – his second of the season  – but couldn’t prevent the Irons 23s suffering a 4-2 away loss to Brighton & Hove at the Amex Elite Performance Centre last night

Odubeko broke the deadlock with a stunning 17th minute opener leaving the keeper helpless with a perfect volley to once again enhance his first team squad claims.

Odubeko, Ajibola Alese and ex-Celtic starlet Armstrong Okoflex were all included in the starting XI by manager Dmitri Halajko and the trio put in a full shift.
In the second half, Brighton scored four goals in the space of 23 minutes and Thierry Nevers reduced the deficit with a brilliant strike from 25 yards out.
Odubeko is building a big reputation and along with Okoflex MAY be the reason why David Moyes is holding off making  big money moves for a striker.
He may instead for an attacking midfielder with a false 9 scenario in mind should Mickey Antonio get injured.
It’s always tempting to make such suggestions but should that be the case both youngsters have a way to go before that is likely to become a reality although this will unquestionably be a big season for both.
Last night’s defeat will have been a major disappointment after such a brilliant start against Arsenal when of course the squad had the services of Ben Johnson, Conor Coventry, Andriy Yarmolenko and Manuel Lanzini.
The absence of all four suggests that with the exception of  Masuaku they could be part of the squad which meets Leicester City on Monday.

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

2 comments

  • johnham1 says:

    I like his potential a lot and I think he has enough about him already to be in the first team squad for the season ahead. He is a natural finisher and this is why I think we should be looking at buying a forward who can play 9 and out wide as we have Mipo who has terrific potentialsoifwe bought a player like Thuram who could play as a 9 or out wide we would have terrific options and cover up top.

  • The Cat says:

    There is finally competition for Mipo and suddenly the penny has begun to drop and hopefully, he can meet that challenge as Oko-Flex (looks and sounds better that way, lol) and Nevers have come to break into the first-team squad.

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