It may “only have been Wycombe” but Irons looking good

Nine goals over two pre season games is not to be sneezed at!

Ok there will always be the smart arses who immediately – on whatever you write at this stage of the preparations  – will moan: “It was only Wanderers…it was only Ipswich.”

But you can only judge on what you see, whatever the opposition, and with little between the two Irons teams on display, I chose – as a cheapskate – to watch the Wycombe game rather than pay a tenner to the Tractor Boys website.

And frankly I’m glad I did as for the first time in a few pre-seasons we saw a fully fit Hammers side playing some good stuff with the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Mark Noble, young Ben Johnson and yes – and I know it was Wycombe – Manu Lanzini looking far more like his old self and scoring a fine goal.

The second period saw young Xande Silva  get a run out and I liked his movement and  refusal to be shoved around whilst 16 year old Jamal Baptiste looked every inch the central defender he’s been cracked up to be .

But Bowen was the guy who continually caught the eye with some great work down the right wing and his promise to prove himself to himself and the fans ahead of the game, encourages even greater optimism than we already feel for the 23 year old.

The truth was Wanderers were never at the races and the quality of the Hammers football was excellent after Arthur Masuaku had thumped home a fine goal off the underside of the bar early on.

An honourable mention too for academy product Emmanuel Longelo who had 19 minutes on the pitch at the end as a replacement for Mark Noble.

Ok it was only Championship opposition but we looked fitter at this stage than we have for several seasons and it would have been hard for the lads to be much more effective.