Just right now, West Ham United desperately need a return to winning ways.
Much like the FA Cup win against Queens Park Rangers last January suddenly kick-started their revival hopes, the Irons can use tomorrow night’s innocuous Carling Cup fixture as a launchpad to get back to winning ways.
And boy do they need it. The habit of winning is tough to get back after relegation, as we know, and as Sky Sports highlighted in the feature we described earlier.
The ticket news from St Mary’s gives West Ham’s beleaguered squad and coaching staff some welcome news. The Irons have, of course, sold out their allocation of 3000 odd seats but the news from Saints HQ is music to West Ham’s ears:
“With just a day to go before the game Saints have scraped only around 10,000 tickets sold in the home sections, assuming the Hammers have sold their allocation the crowd is not likely to be much more than 13-14,000.” (fansnetwork.co.uk)
Perfect opportunity then for West Ham to silence the home fans (providing the Irons can avoid conceding an early goal again…) and get onto the front foot against one of their Championship rivals.
Being away from the high expectations of a 60,000 home crowd can sometimes offer advantages and I’d expect West Ham’s squad will relish the thought of a half empty Southampton Stadium tomorrow night with 3000 of the Hammers’ most loyal making the trip.
Time to turn the season round with a morale boosting victory, then: Play your strongest side, then Nuno, and get West Ham back into the habit of winning before the serious business of a trip to Vicarage Road at the weekend.
It was Paco and Disasi that kick started the season neither will be around at Southampton.
Perhaps Nuno should sit in the crowd as he offers little enthusiasm frightened his hands might get cold.