Kouyate revving up for Premier League

Chiek Kouyate is looking forward to the clash against Norwich City tonight (Tues) and is looking to pick up where he finished against Birkirkara last Thursday.

Looking ahead to tonight’s game the midfielder said: “I’m here to work hard and carry on where I left off last season. I think I did well in my first season at West Ham but I know I can do better and I want to show that.”

He told the official site: “The game against Birkirkara was very hard. I played 120 minutes in my first game of the season, in hot conditions, so it was a difficult test but this is football and I think it helped me a lot. It was very, very good preparation for the start of the Premier League season.”

“Overall I’m feeling good. Normally you have a game every week or ten days but now we play matches the whole time, every three or so days. It’s a good way of getting back to my best. ”

Kouyate is impressed with the new arrivals naming Dimitri Payet, Obi (Angelo Ogbonna) and Mani (Manuel Lanzini).

He said: “They are very good players. I remember watching Dimi play for Marseille and the French national team, he is a very, very good player.

“Obi came here from Juventus, he’s a nice defender in the way that he plays the game. Manuel also has very nice technique and quick feet, I am looking forward to them playing for us.”

He added: “It’s very important for West Ham that we have European football. Everyone wants to play in the best competitions, this is one of them. It’s a nice way as we go into the new Stadium, hopefully we can have European football for a number of years.

“ I always enjoyed playing in the Europa League with Anderlecht. It was a good experience, also the Champions League as well. I enjoy it a lot.