When El Hadji Malick Diouf was told he had been named Player of the Match in West Ham United’s 2-0 Premier League Summer Series win over AFC Bournemouth, he shook his head and smiled.
“I think it’s Jazz, because he made one assist and one goal!” he interjected jovially, referring to captain Jarrod Bowen’s match-winning performance in the United States.
Bowen assisted Niclas Füllkrug’s opener and then scored his team’s second, but both goals came courtesy of Diouf’s dangerous deliveries from wide on the left.
When the Hammers signed the Senegal international three weeks ago, his crossing was earmarked as one of his major strengths, and that confirmed repeatedly at the colourful and cavernous Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
While the Claret and Blue Army made for a loud atmosphere, the softly-spoken Diouf chose to make his noise with his boots, sending in cross after cross to give the Bournemouth back four untold problems and, ultimately, settle the game in the Irons’ favour.
“I think it's my power,” he observed. “It's my power because we have good strikers, so every time I'm ready to get this kind of ball, so I just continue to give them this kind of cross.
“I think they will be happy to score goals like that. I think they'll be happy, and I'll be happy.
“It's like that, we are a team, so I'm just looking forward to the matches, just to help the team. We win together and we lose together.”
In truth, West Ham rode their luck a little as Bournemouth hit the woodwork three times but, as Diouf observed, teams can win football matches in different ways.
“I think it's like that,” he continued. “It was a good team, Bournemouth, they controlled the ball and they played very good football, and then we have the victory, so I think it's the most important thing for the season.
“We played three games, but every game is different. Today it was a really tough game, but we had a good mentality. It was tough, but we were ready to bring the victory, so I think it's the most important thing for me.”
It has been quite the three weeks for Diouf, who travelled to Germany the day after signing for West Ham from Czech champions Slavia Prague, then joined his new teammates for the Premier League Summer Series, which has see the Hammers visit New Jersey, New York City, Chicago and Atlanta in the space of a few days.
For the 20-year-old, spending time in such close proximity with his fellow squad members has helped quickly forge friendships, too.
“I think it's really good to come here, to meet our fans from the USA,” Diouf confirmed. “So I think it's good, and I think it's a good way to continue to prepare for the season.”
“We have not a good team, but a good family, yes? I really like the dressing room. We are really close, each player. So I think it's a good way, because we are going to start the season so we need everything to be close, to make a good family, like the dressing room. I'm happy for that.”
