International rescue

Mixed fortunes for the Hammers on international duty in the last fortnight. Winston Reid played in New Zealand's 6-1 thrashing of the Solomon Islands in the World Cup qualifiers (the away leg will be bit of a culture shock for him as three sides of the Solomon Islands' pitch in Honiara are grass hills), Joey O'Brien came on for Ireland against Oman and Yossi Benayoun captained Israel in the 4-0 defeat by Capello's Russia, Modibo Maiga scored for Mali and Diame played for Senegal too. While James Collins managed to get himself sent off for a rash challenge with Wales. Meanwhile it looks as if Andy Carroll, unfit for England, might return sooner than expected from his hamstring injury, possibly for the Sunderland game according to the Daily Mail, though that might be pushing it, thinks Big Sam.