Robert Green is looking forward to the new season with West Ham United after the final pre-season friendly this summer helped fuel the optimism.
The England No1 produced some good stops in a 1-1 draw against elite Spanish side Villarreal on a day that saw more than 20,000 fans acknowledge the lasting legacy of Bobby Moore and the charitable fund in his name. "It was good to be back at Upton Park," Green said. "It was a positive exercise, a healthy crowd and a worthwhile cause. It was a good game and, as pre-season friendlies go, it was an evenly matched game of two different styles.
"It was Spanish style against English style but it was enjoyable to play in. You can see the quality they have got and we managed to put in a decent enough performance." Green could do nothing about Santi Cazorla's equaliser that cancelled out Carlton Cole's first-minute strike and also said the wet weather did not have an impact on his game. "They didn't really have many shots that were difficult to handle," he said. "The conditions made it easier for the players and it wasn't too hard on anyone."
Green expects the visit of Wigan Athletic next Saturday to be a different test altogether. He said: "I am really looking forward to the start. It is a big game because it is one you look at during the course of the season, whether it is the first game or the last game, and say it is a game you definitely want to try and win. Wigan are going to come here and make it difficult. They will play very differently to how Villarreal did."
The England goalkeeper, who will be among a number of West Ham United players who could be in the frame for Fabio Capello's squad to face the Czech Republic in a 20 August friendly, has featured in all but one of the first-team pre-season games this summer and despite a lot of football has enjoyed the experience. "The start of the season is here now and we have had long enough to get ready. It is going to be good to get back playing again and make a good fist of the season."