Pardew On ‘Big Win’

Alan Pardew said after the 1-0 victory over West Brom ‘It was a big win for us and a terrific performance,’ enthused the Hammers boss. ‘That is 18 points now from 11 games and for a promoted team that is a huge achievement.’ He also says that the spirit at the club is great. ‘The team spirit is fantastic at the Club and it’s so important to us. We may not always have the technical advantage over teams, but our team spirit counts for so much and it pulls us above other teams.’

West Ham had to ride their luck a bit in the second half as WBA tried to earn some points, but the 57th minute finish by ever young Sheringham guaranteed the Hammers all three points. Pardew was full of praise for the 39 year old ‘He was excellent again and to turn in such a display at his age is an incredible achievement.

Pardew added: ‘It was a magnificent first-half performance where we perhaps deserved to go in leading. I counted 13 chances and at this level that is a lot. In the second-half West Brom changed it, their back-four tightened up and they squeezed the pitch. They made it more difficult for us, but we got the goal and then we really had to dig deep.’

He also said, despite the second half pressure, that: ‘our back-four were terrific and the clean sheet is really important. They perhaps deserved one for their performance against Middlesbrough and didn’t get it, so I’m delighted with the defensive performance. Danny Gabbidon in particular was first-class. It was an international performance from him today.’

The game was billed as a ‘must-win’ and Pardew says ‘Well, we’ve done that now and that’s what good teams do.’

Now with the International break the team are flying off to Spain for a ‘bonding trip’. Is that the same sort of trip that Jamie Theakston took a few years ago?! 😉

**Have you got what it takes to run this site? Or do you run an existing site and want to move over to the exciting Vital Network? If so, press on the advert and get Vitalled!**