Joey O’Brien is mobbed by Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan after scoring the eqauliser against Stoke – his first career Premier League goal.
Before the match, I audaciously predicted West Ham to win 3-1 with an Andy Carroll brace. In hindsight, I’d have taken a 1-0 victory with the solitary goal being scored off of Robert Huth’s back following a Shawcross clearance from a corner.
I think we all knew the game would be physical, cagey and tough, but I was a bit surprised by how blatantly dirty it was. The opening goal was a well-rehearsed training routine that Jonathan Walters did well to tuck away. As practiced as Walter’s run was Charlie Adam’s block on McCartney. I think NFL scouts have taken note. Even Tony Pulis in his post-match interview acknowledged it.
Freddy Piquionne, Demba Ba and Jack Collison ponder relegation the last time we visited the DW Stadium.
On our last visit to the DW Stadium, in May 2011, we were condemned to relegation. Sent crashing down by a cocktail of poor management, lack of desire and a resilient Wigan side.
Now, almost 18 months later, we arrive up north in completely different shape. We’ve enjoyed our best start to a Premier League season for 13 years and the whole club is oozing with confidence. We’re seventh and we are loving life.
Fresh off the back of a fantastic 4-1 win against Southampton, the coming weeks look to be a much sterner test for West Ham than the start to this season has proved so far.
Mark Noble celebrates scoring his second goal against Southampton.
Sam Allardyce wants his players to build on their 4-1 home win over Southampton and secure their first back-to-back victories in the Premier League this season with a win away to Wigan on Saturday.
Second half goals from Kevin Nolan, Modibo Maiga and a Mark Noble brace secured an emphatic win over fellow top-flight new boys Southampton at Upton Park on Saturday, lifting the Hammers in to seventh spot with 14 points.
And Allardyce thinks that result will give them confidence to come away from the DW Stadium with a much needed three points as his side approach a difficult run of fixtures in November and December.
He told the official site: “We focus on Wigan away now. Our last away game was against Queens Park Rangers, which was a terrific performance and a well-deserved victory.
“Can we now go and get our first back-to-back wins in the Premier League? When you’ve won a game, to go and try to win the next one is a massive ask and it makes a huge difference. That’s our aim. Wigan haven’t won at home this season so there might be a lack of confidence there, so if we can take advantage of that then we might do back-to-back wins.”
Allardyce also praised his side’s start to their first season back in the Premier League and admitted he is a little surprised at how his side have been able to make the step up from the Championship.
“This is a fantastic start considering we have just been promoted. We don’t get too carried away because the fixtures have been very kind to us. The teams that we have played in our first eight games were very difficult but there’s only Arsenal in there that might be in the top four that we’ve played,” he said.
“We’ve done the job better than I expected with 14 points from eight and we’re on two or three points more than I had hoped.”
Mark Noble does battle with Southampton in last season’s 1-1 draw in the Championship
West Ham head into the weekend following the 3-1 loss to Arsenal last time out. A bounce back with a win is imperative if we are to regain momentum after a painfully boring international break.
This Saturday West Ham face Southampton, our old rivals from last season. A tale of two styles then, it is now a tale of two starts, with Southampton really struggling at the start of this campaign.
