West Ham United U21s lead coach Mark Robson took plenty of positives from his side’s 2-1 win over Ebbsfleet United on Friday.
A first-half double from Armstrong Okoflex – from the penalty spot and a left-footed strike – put the young Hammers in control against the National League South side, but Ebbsfleet would bite back before half-time through Joe Martin’s close-ranged header.
The U21s would hold on in the second half to claim their first win of pre-season, and Robson took particular delight in how his young side controlled the tempo against their opponents at the Kuflink Stadium.
Speaking to whufc.com after the game, the lead coach discussed his team’s performance, fitness, and the benefits of working closely with the first team…
Mark, how do you feel the U21s adapted to the test of facing an experienced side like Ebbsfleet United?
“I think the lads adapted to the test really well. I didn’t realise just how much experience Ebbsfleet had in their team – I think I coached half of them about 20 years ago! It was always going to be a tough game against them. The staff said it was a real tough game against them last season as well, so we knew to expect a hard game.
“I thought, in the first half, we were very good. I felt we moved the ball around well, and we did it a lot better than we did in our first game against Sporting CP. We had a lot more control, which I was really pleased with because that was something we’d asked the lads for before the game.
“I felt we may have lot it a bit in the second half as Ebbsfleet were a bit more aggressive and gave a harder press. We perhaps didn’t find the way to control the game and there were one or tired legs for sure. We made a few changes too, which probably disrupted our rhythm a bit.
“There were a really strong opponent and made it tough for us in the second half. They were physical and our lads stood up to it really well, so it was a pleasing night.”
The lads seemed very comfortable on the ball against Ebbsfleet, who are themselves a tough and physical team…
“We had some small-sided games in training on Thursday and we were saying that there were too many turn-overs. We wanted the lads to be thinking about being a bit more in control during the game against Ebbsfleet, and I feel they did that very well. It was an improved performance and a pleasing performance because of it.
“Out of possession, the work Steve Potts has been doing with the boys has been first-class. Ben Male, our sports scientist, has been doing some really important work with the boys to help them improve as well. There is a lot of good work going on with the squad at the moment and I saw the signs in this game that the boys are improving in their quality on the ball.”
You had Armstrong Okoflex and Pierre Ekwah back in the U21s this evening after being with the first team. Are you seeing in them the benefits of working with the senior squad?
“Absolutely we are. A few of them have been training with the first team for a number of weeks, been involved in their games, and you can certainly see a difference in them physically and technically. Those standards are really high.
“I thought Pierre Ekwah was first-class in this game. I thought he had a good game. I thought Armstrong also had a really good game. I’d have liked to have seen him score the header at the back post to get his hat-trick, and I know he was disappointed with that too. But he added lots more to his game today. Those two have done really well.”
Finally, it will be a quick turnaround with another tough pre-season test against AFC Bournemouth development side on Tuesday…
“Bournemouth will be tough. There’s talk of the weather and temperature being very high, which will add something extra to it as well. We’re trying to make sure the lads are fit for the start of the season so we’ll attack the game from a fitness point of view.
“The team may look a bit different on Tuesday but it will be another game where we look to up the tempo a bit more, control the game a bit more again and keep improving.”
