West Ham United get back to Barclays Premier League action on Saturday with Alan Curbishley expecting his players to rise to the occasion.
The manager has had many positives this pre-season. Not least is the form of the 24-year-old Dean Ashton, who has scored six goals in five pre-season appearances and finished last season with five goals in his final eight games. Against Wigan Athletic on Saturday, England manager Fabio Capello is expected to pay close attention as well to the man he named at No9 in the final international of the 2008/09 campaign.
Reiterating that Capello had given Ashton plenty of encouragement after his debut against Trinidad and Tobago on 1 June, Curbishley said: "I'm looking for him to lead the line and getting the goals that comes with that. At his age and the position he finds himself in, it's all in front of him. Everything is up for grabs, and that includes the England spot. If you have that in front you have to do everything possible to take it. Last season he was still feeling his way back. This is a big season for him."
While strike partner Craig Bellamy is still a few weeks away after his hamstring setback following a superb summer spell, the manager will likely pair Ashton with either Carlton Cole or Freddie Sears. "Carlton Cole has done well and young Freddie has looked good in pre-season. I'm looking for big things from him as well. He has more maturity about him and sees a bit of light. I'm looking for more from all the strikers, not just Dean."
Elsewhere in the squad, James Collins and Nigel Quashie are going well in training and could be in the frame early in September with Danny Gabbidon (abdomen) and Kieron Dyer (broken leg) working hard to follow and Jonathan Spector due back in England soon after good progress from the hip operation he had in the US. In his absence, and with George McCartney not set to return to Chadwell Heath until Monday after being laid low by a virus, Lucas Neill is likely to start the season at left-back.
"Lucas has played a lot of his career at left back so it's not a problem for him. He's been quite comfortable during pre-season," Curbishley said. He is also encouraged by the form of his central defenders, although Anton Ferdinand is doubtful with hamstring trouble. The manager has admitted he is "still looking" for new recruits but in Matthew Upson and Calum Davenport has a solid-looking duo, while James Tomkins like Jack Collison has a medial knee ligament problem.
He said: "Upson played the whole of pre-season except America. [Calum] Davenport was training near the end of last season and carried on through the summer. He's got a point to prove I think. He came to us 18 months ago, took an injury like a lot of them did and took a long time to recovery. He's had a good pre-season but knows there's a lot of competition when everyone is fit. He wants to grab it by the scruff of the neck and make the most of it."