Bowen strikes as Hammers draw at Fulham
Fulham 1-1 West Ham United
Mid-Season Match, Craven Cottage, Saturday 17 December 2022
Jarrod Bowen’s second half goal secured a 1-1 draw for West Ham United at Fulham in their final mid-season friendly match on Saturday afternoon. The Hammers trailed to Carlos Vinícius’ firm header scored three minutes before the break, but rallied upon the game’s resumption to make sure they would take a share of the spoils from Craven Cottage. David Moyes’ men will now head to Arsenal on Boxing Day to resume their Premier League campaign looking to end 2022 on a high. West Ham were on the hunt for a third victory in their mid-season series, having defeated Cambridge United and Udinese in the lead up to their fixture in west London, although they were dealt an early setback when Gianluca Scamacca was forced to depart the action with twelve minutes on the clock. That meant Bowen moved to a more central position, and he was inches away from giving the Hammers the lead four minutes later, when he deflected a Vladimír Coufal cross a fraction past the post. Fulham settled into the contest and began to make inroads down their right-hand side as the opening period wore on. As the clock ticked over the half-hour mark, Angelo Ogbonna leapt high to nod a Bobby De Cordova-Reid cross away as far as Tim Ream, who caught his volley flush but sent it a matter of inches too high. Four minutes later, De Cordova-Reid popped up on the right again, and this time his cross was met with a flick by Carlos Vinícius, whose effort flew wide of the mark. On 42 minutes, however, the Brazilian was not going to let a second opportunity get away. This time right-back Kenny Tete was the provider, with Carlos Vinícius getting across to the front post to firmly nod beyond Łukasz Fabiański.
Fulham merited their interval advantage, but West Ham emerged from the dressing rooms with renewed vigour and twice went close in the opening minutes after the restart. First, Saïd Benrahma played Emerson in down the left hand side of the penalty area, and his low cross picked out Pablo Fornals, whose side-footed effort was stopped by sub keeper Marek Rodák. Then Bowen controlled a ball sharply on his chest, before producing an instant strike which whistled past the far post with Rodák beaten. The Hammers would not have to wait long for their equaliser though, as with 62 minutes on the clock, Willian was caught on the ball high up the pitch, allowing Bowen a free run on goal to tuck home. Clear chances came at a premium after that moment, with Fabiański easily holding a Tom Cairney effort, while Tomáš Souček went closest to a winner with a late header which needed a fine save from Rodák.
Fulham: Leno (Rodak 46), Tete, Tosin, Diop, Ream (Mbabu 64), Reed, Cairney © (Harris 83), De Cordova-Reid (Wilson 75), Pereira, Willian (James 64), Carlos Vinícius Subs: McNally (GK), Duffy, Wilson, Chalobah, Onomah, McAvoy, McFarlane
Goal: Carlos Vinícius 42
West Ham United: Fabiański, Coufal, Ogbonna ©, Dawson, Emerson (Johnson 78), Lanzini, Souček, Bowen (Swyer 86), Fornals, Benrahma (Mubama 86), Scamacca (Downes 13) Subs: Randolph (GK), Hegyi (GK), Ashby, Laing, Forbes, Potts, Coventry, Ekwah
Goal: Bowen 62
Referee: John Brooks
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
McKinlay: Fulham test was just what we needed
West Ham United first team coach Billy McKinlay felt his team’s final mid-season test before the Premier League campaign resumes was just what they needed. The Hammers travelled to Fulham to take on their fellow top-flight side and came away with a share of the spoils thanks to Jarrod Bowen’s second half finish. The No20’s strike cancelled out Carlos Vinícius’ first half header and ensured the derby friendly would end all-square at 1-1. Still, McKinlay was satisfied with his team’s efforts, as he told West Ham TV at the final whistle…
I enjoyed the game. I think it was a good performance, particularly in the second half.
We started okay in the first half, then Fulham probably got a deserved goal just before half-time, but we played some good stuff in the second half. We created a number of chances, obviously got a good goal. I thought it was a good game, a quick game and just what we needed leading into the business end.
The level of the game was important to us, in terms of the opposition.
Cambridge was a good start for us, we had a good game last week at Udinese too – with obviously a good win and performance – and today was the perfect game for us to finish off that mini-preparation. We’ve got a good week coming up now before the Arsenal game and we’ll be ready to go.
It’ll be good to see the players we’ve had at the World Cup this week too.
They’ve all had various levels of success over the past few weeks and I think they’ll give the rest of the players a boost too. We’ve all missed them, they’re good boys and top players, so they will give us a boost going into the Arsenal game.
It wasn’t a time to take any risks with Gianluca.
He rolled his ankle a little bit [so we took him off] and we’ll see how it looks over the next couple of days, but hopefully it won’t be too bad and we can get him back in as quick as we can.
It’s brilliant to see so many West Ham fans behind the goal too.
Everywhere we go we get that backing, it’s unconditional. They’ve been missing it and are ready to go. We’ll need them, because we need to win some games so we’re looking forward to them getting behind us.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bowen: We have looked dangerous across the mid-season matches
Jarrod Bowen showed he is ready for the Premier League’s resumption in Saturday’s mid-season friendly at Fulham. The 25-year-old played as a central striker after Gianluca Scamacca left the action with 13 minutes played and calmly struck the equaliser just after the hour as the Hammers drew 1-1 at Craven Cottage. Saturday’s trip to Fulham was the Hammers’ third of three mid-season friendlies before a Boxing Day trip to Arsenal, with Bowen netting his second goal over the mid-season break.
And with wins over Cambridge United and Udinese also under their belt, Bowen is targeting a positive result when David Moyes’ outfit head to Arsenal on Boxing Day. “We have the preparation in the bank,” said Bowen. “It is down to us now to go to Arsenal on Boxing Day and put in a really good performance. “[Fulham] was a really good test, Udinese was a good test, as was Cambridge in the freezing cold. But we have come out of all the games really well. We have looked dangerous as well and today was a really important one in terms of what we are going to face.”
When Bowen found the net at Craven Cottage on 62 minutes, he did so in front of more than 2,500 Hammers, who soundtracked the action in west London. The Claret & Blue Army roared their side on as Tomáš Souček and Craig Dawson went close in the closing moments, although a sequence of stops from Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodák ensured a share of the spoils. “Someone said to me before the game that we had 2,500, and I thought ;no way for a friendly’,” he explained. “But that says everything about this Club and the heart of this Club. “We know what position we are in. We can’t hide away from that. It is about us as players now stepping up and showing what we are about.”
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
‘Incredible’ Aguerd thanked by fans
By Staff Writer
KUMB.com
Friday, 16th December 2022
Moroccan supporters have thanked West Ham United’s Nayef Aguerd and his team mates for helping the North African nation to become the first team from the continent to make the semi finals of a World Cup. Although they were beaten by France in their last four encounter on Wednesday evening, Morocco went further than any other side from the continent in Qatar having recorded notable victories against the likes of Spain and Portugal. And as a result, the defender’s twitter timeline has been flooded with messages of goodwill from his compatriots.
Of course Morocco’s journey isn’t quite over yet, with a third-place play-off against Croatia to come on Saturday evening. Yet ahead of what will be their final game of the tournament, Aguerd reciprocated by thanking the supporters for their vociferous backing both in Qatar and at home. “The emotions we expected together were indescribable,” he said via his twitter account. “They will remain forever engraved in each of us whether we are a player, a staff member or a fan. “We wanted to pursue this dream and raise the flag of the country we are so proud of. Unfortunately, we could not climb this last step, despite all the efforts made to get there. Football is like this and there can only be one winner.
“I want to thank everyone for their support and for all the love you have given us during the World Cup. We have certainly made history, but we don’t want to stop there and want to continue this way which should not be an achievement without a future.”
Aguerd, who pulled out of the semi final through injury during the pre-match warm-up is unlikely to have recovered in time for the third-place play off, but will nonetheless remain with the Moroccan squad for the remainder of the competition.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Coufal in the dark
By Staff Writer
KUMB.com
Friday, 16th December 2022
Vladimir Coufal says he remains in the dark as to why he has lost his first team spot at West Ham this season. The Czech international was named as KUMB’s runner-up Player of the Year by our readers at the end of the 2020/21 season but has struggled to hold down a spot in the team since.
And speaking in a recent interview, he confessed he remains perplexed as to why he fallen down the pecking order under David Moyes.
“I went to ask [why I’m not playing much anymore],” he said. “But they couldn’t tell me anything about it. “That’s football. Sometimes you play, sometimes you don’t. If the situation that occurred during the autumn were to continue, something will definitely be resolved – and is being resolved. “I don’t want to sit on the bench here as much as in the autumn.”
Out of contract at the end of the season, Coufal – who has spent some off the recent mid-season break in Prague with family – has been linked with a move to Germany and, somewhat closer to home, with a move to Fulham where he could potentially team up with former Hammer Issa Diop once again. And he admitted he would prefer to remain in the Premier League if given a choice, where his family are settled. “If possible, I would like to stay in England,” he added. “The Premier League is the best league in the world.”
Until then, his mind remains set very much on helping West Ham to push up the table when the Premier League resumes on Boxing Day. “Since we’ve been back we’ve played two friendly games. Every victory still gives us confidence. Saturday [at Fulham] will be our third game since the break, so we are trying to build momentum.”
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham left sweating over Gianluca Scamacca’s fitness after Hammers star rolled his ankle in friendly against Fulham… with David Moyes pondering his attacking options ahead of Boxing Day clash with Arsenal
* Striker Gianluca Scamacca has been injured in a friendly clash against Fulham
* The West Ham United striker rolled his ankle in the 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage
* The Italian Scamacca will now have his fitness assessed over the next few days * But is a doubt for West Ham’s Premier League trip to Arsenal on Boxing Day
By STEPHEN DAVIES FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
PUBLISHED: 22:31, 17 December 2022 | UPDATED: 23:34, 17 December 2022
West Ham could go into the Premier League restart without either of their first-choice strikers after Gianluca Scamacca injured an ankle yesterday. The Italian lasted just 13 minutes against Fulham before limping off after Issa Diop’s challenge. Fellow frontman Michail Antonio was already out with a thigh strain leaving David Moyes wondering whether either will be fit for their Boxing Day showdown at Arsenal.
[West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca (pictured) limped off injured against Fulham on Saturday]
West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca (pictured) limped off injured against Fulham on Saturday
‘He [Scamacca] rolled his ankle so we’ll see how it looks over the next couple of days,’ said first-team coach Billy McKinlay. Scamacca has scored six goals in all competitions since his £35m move from Sassuolo this summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
https://whufcdigest.wordpress.com/ or follow me on twitter @vyperz591
WHUFC Daily News 