Source: PA
Cole lauds Hitzlsperger impact
Carlton Cole believes that Thomas Hitzlsperger will be a vital asset in West Ham's bid for survival.
After six months out through injury, Hitzlsperger finally made his Hammers debut on Monday night at Upton Park where he smashed home a 25-yard thunderbolt to set the club on their way to a 5-1 win over Burnley.
Hitzlsperger was quick to play down his big impact, declaring that he should not be viewed as West Ham's "saviour". But Cole, who knows Hitzlsperger well after spending a season with him at Aston Villa, thinks the German's introduction will help add an extra dimension to the Hammers' midfield that will prove vital in the crucial last quarter.
"It's fantastic that he's back. He's a great player," Cole told West Ham TV Online. "He shows what he can do in training and he's going to be a massive asset for us.
"We've missed that. We always rely on Mark Noble, (Radoslav) Kovac and obviously Scotty Parker, but now they've got a bit of support as well from a talented football player and hopefully he can continue his form.
"He scored a cracking goal to set us off and that's what we all needed."
