Angelo Ogbonna will again become a crucially important figure in the Hammers team as we head into a seriously tricky match at Goodison Park tonight.
Oggy has been outstanding week in and week out as the Hammers have maintained a very decent start to the season after last season’s escape from relegation.
The fourth-placed Merseysiders are just four points off the top and have rattled in 26 goals so far this season.
But a defensive performance – usually led by our 32-year-old central defender equal to that seen so often this season – is required and no doubt be given by our wholehearted Italian.
Whether Craig Dawson is alongside him is a question we didn’t expect to be asking until his display against Saints but it must be likely that The General – who himself has been in top form – will be back.
Oggy is ready and believes we have a real chance given how he has seen the boss change the mentality of West Ham United.
Speaking to www.whufc.com he said: “Since the manager came in, we’ve changed the mentality. It is totally different. Now when we concede, we don’t give up. We know we will have our chances. We want to compete against any team.
“I think it was a positive point against Southampton. We knew that they would play differently to last year: they press a lot, with a high intensity, and the way they play for us wasn’t easy because we didn’t have a lot of time to prepare. We were travelling so we spent just a couple of hours together at home.
“I think it was a great result. We struggled in the first 15 to 20 minutes, but then we stuck at it and I think it was a really good point.
“The most important thing was to not concede. We wanted to get back into our shape and I think we did brilliantly.”
Ogbonna feels his team are focusing on their own considerable strengths above all else.
“I think we are totally different in that now because we are looking at us and what we can give and achieve.
“We know every game is important. We don’t need any excuses.
“It was important to finish the year like we did and it’s important to start again in the New Year. I think our performances since the lockdown have been really high, our stats have been really high, so the majority of games have been positive.”
“In the Premier League, the game is very fast. You play a lot of games. Even in this strange year, with the pandemic, you’ve got many games.
“It’s not easy, and to be competitive on that stage all the time I think is a nice target. Even during Christmas time where we play one day, the other day we don’t, then we play again the next, it’s good. I think it’s a very good achievement.
“I look back on it and I’ve grown up a lot, both as a man and a player. The first games were really hard – every striker is quick, you have to be tough and the referee likes to let it play – so it’s been a very interesting journey I think.
“I’m very happy, my family’s happy – that’s the most important thing – and then things come in a positive way. I think we are on the right path.”