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Home , Carlton Cole, Mark Noble, Matthew Etherington

20 Monday, October 6, 2008 Premiership Wanderer

First half 9 mins – A flowing Wanderers 13 mins – Elmander really 16 mins – Cahill produces a move ends with Nolan firing should have done better after fantastic challenge to block action shots wide, but encouraging signs. Gardner slipped him in. Ilunga's shot. Wanderers (4-5-1)

JUSSI JAASKELAINEN Magnificent save from Carlton Cole in the second half but was otherwise rarely called 7 into action.

GRETAR STEINSSON A marked return to form for the Iceland international. Got forward to supply much McCANN’S THE MAN 7 more ammunition from the right. GARY CAHILL Modest hero inspires Gary Megson believes he’s the best young defender in England at the moment. He 8 showed why with an out- standing display. Whites’ Hammer blow ANDY O’BRIEN GAVIN McCann is not someone A calm and assured head who seeks the limelight – in fact, when West Ham turned the screw late on. Made some 8 the one-time England WANDERERS well-timed interceptions to international does everything he keep them at bay. can to avoid it. JLLOYD SAMUEL But he would be hard pressed to avoid the glowing praise that was aimed in Another confident perform- his direction after a midfield master- ance from the former Upton class at Upton Park. Park trainee. Defensively 7 sound but increasingly more McCann wasn’t around to accept the potent going forward. man of the match champagne after the final whistle, and politely declined the Samuel’s deep cross turned into the KEVIN DAVIES opportunity to talk to the press in proverbial dog’s dinner as the England order to celebrate Wanderers’ first international dropped the ball, Four goals in seven games away victory with his team-mates in allowing the Wanderers striker to stab had the press ask- the ball into the empty net under ing about an England call. A 7 the players’ lounge. hard-working display, typical His actions, however, spoke much pressure from Ilunga. of the striker. louder than any number of words West Ham almost hit back would have done at Upton Park. immediately when curled The 30-year-old is not the most a free-kick narrowly wide but just two minutes later another Green error A little anonymous in a busy popular player on the Reebok terraces, midfield but got about his his effective rather than flamboyant gifted Wanderers a second. work as always. Looks des- 6 style not the most attractive. In many He failed to cling on to Gretar perate for his first Premier Steinsson’s cross-shot and watched on League goal of the season. ways, he embodies his employers. Yet he does have a habit of producing in disbelief as Gary Cahill nipped in to GAVIN MCCANN the goods on the big occasion. chip the ball home for his first goal for the club. Hunted down Hammers mid- And he did just that at West Ham in a fielders for fun at times. game Wanderers could really ill-afford Needless to say, there was an ironic McCann’s best performance 8 to lose. cheer when Green collected a through of the season by far, reward- ball a few minutes later. ing his manager’s faith. They had certainly talked the talk after defeats against Arsenal and From there, Wanderers were intent on FABRICE MUAMBA Manchester United – claiming morale protecting their lead. had been unaffected by a winless run The tireless McCann snapped around Held firm in the midfield and of six games in all. the midfield like a terrier, forcing worked hard to break up any Defeat at the , however, mistakes out of the Hammers with a attacking momentum the 7 regularity that served to further rile Hammers had. would have given Megson some serious cause for concern as he their supporters. headed into the international break. But it took a superb save from Jussi RICARDO GARDNER Happily and due in no small measure Jaaskelainen to keep the scoreline at 2-0 as he leapt to palm Carlton Cole’s Deservedly kept his place to an error-prone performance from , he will be able to rest looping shot on to the outside of the ahead of Taylor. Had the bet- post. ter of Faubert and Behrami 7 easy with three points in the bank. throughout and was a con- West Ham were still riding high on It is often said the Finn is worth 10 stant threat on the left. ’s arrival as manager, points a season, he can certainly claim the genial Italian having guided them two from his trip to London. JOHAN ELMANDER to two victories in two league games His defences were breached, however, on 69 minutes when Matt Upson Still looks some way short of since he took over from Alan match sharpness. Should Curbishley. headed ’s left probably have scored with a 6 But some things never change with wing corner across the six yard box clear sight of goal in the first and Cole got above Cahill to score. half. the Hammers, and once Wanderers had given the large Upton Park crowd Nerves were certainly jangling at this reason to turn on their team, a familiar point – none more so than when SUBSTITUTES story unfolded. Behrami whistled a shot inches wide Al-Habsi; Hunt; Taylor 73 (for Elmander); Joey Johan Elmander had the game’s first of Jaaskelainen’s right post. O’Brien 80 (for Muamba); Smolarek; Riga; Shit- real chance, showing he is not yet up But when Megson brought on Matty tu. to full sharpness with a weak shot at Taylor for Elmander, to instant Green after good work from Ricardo barracking from the Upton Park Gardner. faithful, you sensed there was a score West Ham West Ham were knocking the ball to settle. around well and finding some joy on Taylor was only on the pitch for 25 (4-4-2) the left wing with roving full-back minutes but took some shameful abuse Herita Ilunga particularly influential. from the terraces. His revenge was sweet – firing a ROBERT GREEN ...... 5 David Di Michelle and Valron Behrami both worried Jussi Jaaskelainen with trademark free kick home from 25 LUCAS NEILL ...... 6 efforts from distance but their inability yards to make it game, set and match. HERITA ILUNGA ...... 7 to get closer to the Finn’s goal had ...... 5 already stirred up a negative vibe MATTHEW ETHERINGTON ...... 6 around the ground. CARLTON COLE ...... 7 Green hardly helped matters when he How crucial is Gavin McCann to the Wanderers midfield? MATT UPSON ...... 7 gifted Kevin Davies an opening goal. MARK NOBLE ...... 6 GOAL JOY: Kevin Davies celebrates after opening the scoring at Upton Park What looked a simple take from Jlloyd forum.thebolt ...... 5 VALRON BEHRAMI ...... 7 DAVID DI MICHELLE ...... 5 Second half 51 mins – Jussi Jaaskelainen 59 mins – Andy O’Brien makes a Subs: Bellamy 6, 53 (for Di Michelle); Sears 78 produces a stunning save to tip vital clearance with Cole waiting to Goal! (for Etherington). Not used: Lastuvka; Lopez; action shots Cole’s effort on to the post pounce on Bellamy's cross-shot Boa Morte; Mullins; Davenport. theboltonnews.co.uk/wanderers Monday, October 6, 2008 21

20 mins – Wanderers pile on the 30 mins – Davies puts Wanderers in front 34 mins – Cahill stabs home his first goal pressure with four successive Goal! when he pounces on Robert Green's Goal! for Wanderers to double the lead after N’Scorners. THEterrible error. MANGreen fails to hold Steinsson’s volley. nspires er blow

HAM UTD . .1 ERERS . . . .3

ETHERINGTON v ep cross turned into the STEINSSON og’s dinner as the England dropped the ball, THE dangerous Etherington, whose Wanderers striker to stab set-pieces were always a threat, got the empty net under little change out of the Icelandic full- m Ilunga. back. Assured at the back, Steinsson most hit back made inroads down the right at every when Mark Noble curled possible opportunity, delivering arrowly wide but just two several top-quality crosses while it was r another Green error his shot which led to Gary Cahill’s first rers a second. goal for the club. cling on to Gretar ross-shot and watched on s Gary Cahill nipped in to home for his first goal for say, there was an ironic Green collected a through nutes later. Wanderers were intent on GOAL JOY: Gary Cahill fires past a crestfallen Robert Green to score a second goal for the Wanderers at Upton Park eir lead. McCann snapped around ike a terrier, forcing of the Hammers with a BEHRAMI v at served to further rile ers. GARDNER superb save from Jussi GARDNER produced his best display n to keep the scoreline at of the season on the left of a five-man pt to palm Carlton Cole’s midfield. The Jamaican was a constant on to the outside of the menace going forward, while never shying away from his defensive duties. d the Finn is worth 10 Behrami was anonymous for large on, he can certainly claim parts, though the Swiss trip to London. went close late on with a flashing drive. were breached, however, s when Matt Upson hew Etherington’s left across the six yard box above Cahill to score. certainly jangling at this more so than when stled a shot inches wide en’s right post. egson brought on Matty mander, to instant rom the Upton Park sensed there was a score UPSON v nly on the pitch for 25 took some shameful abuse ELMANDER aces. WILLING runner that he was, Elmander was sweet – firing a struggled to trouble Upson – who ee kick home from 25 created the Hammers’ goal – and the e it game, set and match. rest of the West Ham defence as he toiled away up front on his own. The Swede fluffed a great chance to open the scoring when he shot tamely at is Gavin McCann Robert Green after being put through nderers midfield? early on. theboltonnews.co.uk MY BALL: Johan Elmander tries to evade the close attentions of West Ham captain Lucas Neill

69 mins – Cole pulls one back for the 70 mins – Behrami's 30-yard 86 mins – Substitute Matt Ta ylor lashes 90 mins – A stretching Bellamy Hammers after Upson heads piledriver is just wide as the home a stunning 25-yard free-kick to volleys over as Bolton hold on Etherington’s corner back across goal. Hammers search for an equaliser. Goal! send the Wanderers fans wild. for a well deserved three points.