1. Julen Lopetegui wins first Hammers game on English soil
Julen Lopetegui’s first game on English soil as Hammers Head Coach ended in success as his side struck in the second half to see off Dagenham & Redbridge.
Appointed to the role at the end of May, Lopetegui took his side to Austria for a week-long training camp to kick-off pre-season, with the work continuing at Rush Green upon the team’s return on Monday.
The Spaniard used Saturday’s game as an opportunity to put more match minutes into the legs of 22 members of his squad, with a blend of experience and youth combining to ensure the Irons would leave Chigwell Construction Stadium with the spoils.
Lopetegui’s men dominated throughout against their National League near-neighbours, although they had to wait until early in the second half for the decisive goal - scored by the boot of Andy Irving.
That proved to be the only goal of the game - but the more important aim of building match sharpness and cohesion had been achieved.
2. Andy Irving on the scoresheet
The Irons might have been made to wait for their goal by the Daggers - but the wait was certainly worth it.
Andy Irving’s 50th-minute strike was more than worthy of winning any game, as he collected a lay-off from James Ward-Prowse just outside the area, before curling left-footed high past Dagenham goalkeeper Elliot Justham and into the net.
Scotsman Irving - who arrived in east London last summer before spending last season back on loan at his former club Austria Klagenfurt - now has a goal and an assist in his two pre-season run-outs, having laid on Nayef Aguerd’s last-gasp leveller against Ferencváros earlier in the week.
With the pre-season tour to Florida getting underway next week - and fixtures against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace to follow with tickets available HERE - the 24-year-old midfielder will surely relish the opportunity to show the new boss what he can do.
You can enjoy his strike again in the video player above!
3. More minutes for the new boys
West Ham’s three summer signings were all involved at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Luis Guilherme and Maximilian Kilman both started - as they did against Ferencváros - with the pair both getting 45 valuable minutes under their belts.
Guilherme came close to registering his first Hammers goal, too, seeing his rasping, rising drive tipped over by Justham after Ward-Prowse flicked Kilman’s diagonal pass into his path.
Kilman started alongside Kurt Zouma as an experienced centre-back duo, and the pair were largely untroubled in helping to maintain Łukasz Fabiański’s clean sheet before the break.
Wes Foderingham was introduced for the Pole after 45 minutes and, just as for his fellow goalkeeper, he was given little to do by an assured performance in front of him.
4. Academy players take chance to impress
As is the norm in pre-season, the Hammers’ bank of experienced players - with several still to return after their involvement in international tournaments over the summer - were complemented by a sprinkling of talent from the Academy of Football.
Freddie Potts, fresh from his outstanding loan spell at EFL League One side Wycombe Wanderers, started in midfield at Dagenham, and impressed with his assuredness on the ball.
Fellow starters included 2023 FA Youth Cup winners Kaelan Casey and Lewis Orford, while Northern Ireland youngster Callum Marshall began the contest up front.
Into the second half, and there was yet more opportunity for our homegrown talent. George Earthy, Gideon Kodua and Patrick Kelly all banked valuable minutes, and Earthy wasn’t far away from adding a second with a shot that was blocked close to goal.
The group will now be hoping to seize their opportunity in Florida, with the next bank of intensive pre-season work to come.
