Winterthur 3 Irons 2

West Ham took  Sunday afternoon stroll against Winterthur as they completed their first seven days in Switzerland.

The game looked very much as though Manuel Pellegrini was taking the opportunity to look at players he presumably knew little about and with Arnie and Chicharito on extended break after a busy summer there was little to excite.

Giving games to Oxford, Haksabanavich, Coventry Holland, Trott, Browne, Samuelsen, Snodgrass, Cullen and Hugill was the manager staying true to himself by looking at as many as he could before taking decisions on their futures.

But it was a pretty hard watch against a team that plays in the second level of the Swiss Challenge League at times.

However, with just a week’s pre-season behind them, it’s probably best to reserve judgement until we take on the likes of Wycombe Wanderers next weekend and Preston on the 21st.

The upside was that the squad probably looked a lot fitter at this stage of the summer than they had done last year  but this is no time to start making hard and fast judgements about anything in what was really a ‘get fit’ match.

The hosts hit the post in the first half before Adrian made a great save from a shot off the rebound but Winterthur took the lead with a Calla effort.

Andy Carroll equalised with a tap-in on 33 mins but Winterthur’s Sutter restored the hosts lead on 39 minutes which was the moment former Hammers keeper Ralph Speigel took centre stage.

He saved an Andy Carroll spot kick after Zaba was brought down and then pushed an Edi Fernandes drive around the upright.

The hosts went further ahead in the 74th minute via an awful mix up between Ogbonna and young keeper Nathan Trott but Noble scored from the spot six minutes from time after a lively Jordan Hugill was brought down.

Hugill did himself no harm in a lively second half, always looking for a route in behind, Holland had excited at times in the first half and Marcus Browne is a strong running operator on whom we should all keep an eye.

Martin Samuelsen also looked good at times and not solely on account of a new haircut whilst Cullen provided some much needed snap in midfield.

Hammers first half: Adrian 8, Zaba 5, Oxford 6, Rice 6, Masuaku 6,  Coventry 7, Obiang 5, Haksabanovich 5, Fernandes 7, Holland 7, Carroll 5

Hammers second half: Trott 4, Fredericks 5, Browne 5 Diop 6 Ogbonna 4, Byram 6, Noble 6, Cullen 6 Snodgrass 5, Samuelsen 6, Hugill 6