Chris Hughton gives his views on Sunday's opponents West Ham as we travel to Upton Park in the Barclays Premiership.
Chris Hughton gives his views on Sunday's opponents West Ham as we travel to Upton Park in the Barclays Premiership.
WEST HAM were very good last season and deserved all the plaudits that went their way. It was always going to be a more difficult season this time around, most people would say that, but you still saw them as a very good side.
Sometimes you get into a run of form where you feel confident of winning games. We won at Fulham and Everton last week and you could feel that momentum going into Bolton on Sunday.
But it can work the other way as well. When you are in a rut and results aren't going for you it can sap confidence and once that happens, it becomes difficult to go out and win the next game. I think that's what West Ham have found.
They have been unfortunate with players who they brought in suffering injuries straight away, that hasn't helped, but they can certainly turn it around, no doubt.
Charlton are probably the team in the bottom three who have a bit of momentum but one or two wins on the trot from either of the sides and it can start turning around. West Ham certainly have the quality of player to do that.
I would think it will be a 4-4-2, as it has for most of the season. At the back it will be Anton Ferdinand and Calum Davenport, who did well for us here. At right-back, Dailly has played there and I'd expect it to be Paul Konchesky on the left, another player who did well for us in a loan period here.
They have options across the midfield with Matty Etherington, Mullins, Reo-Coker, who missed the last game, Quashie is another option and Benayoun, who had such a wonderful season last season, a creative player who can score goals.
There are no shortage of options up front either with the likes of Tevez, Cole, Harewood and of course Bobby Zamora and Teddy Sheringham, all quality players.
I'm sure they will look to Sunday's game, a high-profile London derby that seems to get bigger and bigger, as one to motivate the players to turn around their season.
West Ham are a team fighting for survival and know they have to put a run of wins together. We have to strive to continue our momentum after Fulham, Everton and Bolton, we're in good form and the feeling after the Bolton game was as good as I've felt from the players in a long time - they will be desperate to keep that going at Upton Park.
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