HAT-TRICK ... Hammers' three new-signings
Benni McCarthy, Mido and Brazilian striker Ilan
Benni McCarthy finally completed his £2.5million switch
from Blackburn and the Hammers also snapped up Mido on-loan from
Middlesbrough and Brazil striker Ilan on a short-term deal.
The busy day of transfer activity at Upton Park means
that West Ham now have SEVEN first-team strikers
at the club.
Carlton Cole, Guillermo Franco, Freddie Sears and Frank
Nouble were already on the books.
McCarthy fell out with Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce and
Zola cannot wait to see him put on a claret and blue shirt.
Zola said: "He'll be a threat in the last third. He's a
type of player that will score goals. He will be a big help for
us.
"I think he's got quality, which is what I'm looking
for. He has got quality in the last 20 metres. He's got goals in
his bag and that's what I need right now, and that's what I'm going
to be asking him to produce for us.
"He'll be around the box. Obviously a player like him,
you have to keep him around the box, because he can be more
effective like that."
Fitness permitting, Zola revealed that the
McCarthy-Carlton Cole partnership could be unleashed on Burnley at
Turf Moor this Saturday afternoon.
He said: "I think it will be a good partnership because
Cole is strong and skilful and McCarthy is also smart and skilful,
so I think they will find a good combination. Hopefully this week
we're going to work on the fitness and on Saturday they're going to
be good.
"I think it will be a big help for Carlton, because
it's going to give him the opportunity to be more relaxed and also
the opposition will not only have to look after one player, they
have to look after two players and that is a big thing. I think if
they work together and help each other they can really be a big
asset for us.
"We are a very young team. We have a lot of young
players in our squad so I think it's not wrong that we bring in
somebody with the experience, football knowledge and also goals. So
I think it's a good choice."
