Source: Daily_Mail
Carlton Cole: Thomas Hitzlsperger can keep West Ham up
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'. Smash Hitz: Carlton Cole says Thomas Hitzlsperger can help West Ham stay in the Premier League this seasonBut 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.' Hammer time: Hitzlsperger celebrated a sensational strike on his West Ham debut after six months out on the sidelinesCole thinks last week's team-bonding session, which saw the squad take part in clay-pigeon shooting and go-karting in Newmarket, has worked wonders.'It was well publicised that the boys went out last week to get a bit of team spirit and I think Burnley showed what we are really about,' the striker said.Cole was on target twice against the Clarets. His first came when he swung a leg out whilst laying on the floor, the ball somehow finding the net despite the efforts of two covering Burnley defenders.His second strike - a beautifully curled half-volley - owed nothing to fortune though.The brace brought his tally to 10 this season, but six of those strikes have come in cup competitions. Cole fire: The England striker is determined to score more goals in the league for West HamCole concedes that he must start finding the net to help the club move up from their current position of 19th.'I'm on 10 goals this season but I really want to convert that into the league," the 27-year-old added.'That's where it counts at the moment. We really want to be a Premier League outfit next season. Everyone really dug in and that's what we need, we need everyone pulling in the same direction.'Everyone has to play their part this season because this is going to be a massive team effort.' Klinsmann, Hamann and Lehmann - England's finest German acesWest Ham could sign Obinna on a free after Inter fail to extend his contractMegson offers McCarthy and Ilunga loan moves to Sheffield WednesdayAll the latest West Ham news, features and opinion