Sam happy as Bolton grind out win

Sam Allardyce is pleased Sven Goran Eriksson is promoting some of the country's brightest, young players to the national squad after learning on Saturday that Bolton striker Michael Ricketts had been called up. But the Bolton manager expressed reservations about the value of Joe Cole to the England coach as Eriksson prepares to implement his favoured 4-4-2 system in the run-up to the summer's World Cup Finals. Allardyce said:'If you give Joe Cole a free role then he is a very active and very dangerous midfield player.

'But I don't think his defensive qualities are very good. To play him in the centre of a four-man midfield would be very difficult.You would have to find somebody to play behind him.' Cole will head to Amsterdam with the England party tomorrow ahead of Wednesday's friendly against Holland with the debate about his ability to adapt to Eriksson's system still to reach its conclusion. Former West Ham manager Harry Redknapp was adamant Cole would always need special tactical treatment, while his successor Glenn Roeder has done much to discredit that theory by pairing the 20-year-old with Michael Carrick, himself still only 20. The 1-0 defeat atThe Reebok came with Cole playing in a midfield three, a formation forced on Roeder by a long list of injuries and suspensions.

Roeder said:'I can't agree with Sam Allardyce on this. I see Joe every day, Sam doesn't. His defensive work is fine, much improved.

'He can play in a 4-4-2 without a problem. He is such an energetic player.' For all Cole's endeavours on Saturday, he could not create the opportunities needed to cancel Ricardo Gardner's terrific left-foot strike towards the end of the first half. Missing Paolo Di Canio, Trevor Sinclair, Carrick, John Moncur, Nigel Winterburn, Tomas Repka, Ian Pearce and Don Hutchison, West Ham were always likely to struggle to change the shocking away form - with just two wins - that continues to blight their season.

Roeder knows his squad is desperately short of depth - a problem that will not be solved until he sells Di Canio or finds a pot of gold hidden beneath the Bobby Moore Stand at Upton Park.

His team played their part in a competitive game on a rutted pitch in gusting conditions and enjoyed the greater possession.

But there was little quality in the final third and Australia midfielder Richard Garcia and substitute striker Paul Kitson were the only ones close to equalising. Ricketts' call-up caught Allardyce by surprise but he feels it is warranted, saying: 'His quality of finishing is nearly as good as Ruud van Nistelrooy's. He has that calm, composed quality in front of goal and loves the big stage.'