Big Sam on us and the game....

Sam Allardyce: If we?d lost 7-0 like Norwich did, I?d get the team in at 7am. Do it again and I?d get them in at 6am
Dejected: West Ham's forthcoming opponents were hammered 7-0 by Manchester City last weekend


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Sam Allardyce

Published: 08 November 2013

Updated: 11:14, 08 November 2013

Tomorrow's match at Norwich is being billed as ?crucial? for a few reasons ? but then again they all are these days, aren?t they?

The focus has been largely on the home side after they lost 7-0 at Manchester City but this will be no cruise control afternoon for my players.

If Norwich win they will move above us in the table and I am sure Chris Hughton and his players are well aware of that.

From my experience, the 7-0 defeat last weekend will have a positive rather than negative effect on their approach tomorrow.

I think they will come out with all guns blazing and try to show their home fans they still have the desire and determination to play for the club.

Norwich may have conceded 15 goals in their last four matches but three of those were away to Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City.

Sandwiched in the middle was their one home match ? a goalless draw with Cardiff. With us playing the following day at Swansea that weekend, I was able to track the progress of the Norwich game in which they had more than enough chances to win.

In fact, Norwich?s home record mirrors our own in many ways and our fans reading this column certainly shouldn?t expect us to go to Carrow Road tomorrow and have an easy ride.

Like everywhere else in the Premier League we will have to earn the right to play and the same mantra applies to this match as at our previous away League games, at Newcastle, Southampton, Hull, Tottenham and Swansea ? try to win but if not, don?t lose.

We?ve only failed to do that once away so far ? at Hull ? and even then we were desperately unlucky.

So what would I have done if West Ham had just lost 7-0? I would have brought all the players in the following morning at 7am.

I?ve not had to resort to that tactic too often in my managerial career but it has happened at Bolton, Blackburn and last season at West Ham, when we lost 5-1 at Arsenal after leading 1-0.

In all those scenarios, it was a case of ?now you?re here nice and early, watch the video of yesterday?s game ? and make sure you don?t do it again or next time, it will be 6am.?

When a result like that happens, you need to deal with it immediately.

You have to get the players in, shut the door and get stuck into it, no holds barred, and then put it to one side, and switch back to the positive, concentrating on what the team have done well and can do well in the future.

It?s never been a big problem to me, losing to a team like Arsenal by four or five because it can happen. What is essential, though, is to cauterize the wound quickly ? don?t let it fester and linger on to the next game.

Whatever the score is in a defeat, it?s still three points lost but the stark truth is that 7-0s can get you the sack a lot quicker than 1-0s.

Norwich spent more than ?20million during the summer ? a lot of money say some, for such a club ? but is it really big bucks these days?

If there is a comparison to be made, it has to be fair. Some of the clubs which Norwich are expected to compete with ? Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham ? spent four times that amount and will do so again and again.

Realistically ?20m gets you two good ? not top class ? players these days.

What is the responsibility of Chris Hughton, myself and the other managers is to try and ensure that whatever is spent, it makes the team better. In my experience, if you spend between ?20-30m you will improve your team by about 1.5 per cent, ?30‑40m maybe 2.5 per cent and ?100m probably 5 per cent.

The expenditure might seem massive but the return is comparatively small.

As for us, with six clean sheets out of 10 matches, if we had a goalscorer in form, we would be in the top six now because we would probably have won five and drawn three.

Of course, Andy Carroll?s injury was a blow but the scoring ability from all our players has diminished from last season.

Finally, on tomorrow?s match, I have been asked if it has crossed my mind that, if we beat Norwich, it could cost a fellow manager his job?

My answer is no. The reality is that I don?t want to be the man to relieve the pressure on Chris because it will increase on me.

If we lose tomorrow we will have fewer points than games played ? and that is dangerous. So a result, whether a draw or a win, is a necessity.

Unfortunately, we will have to do it without Winston Reid, who tore a ligament in his ankle in training this week. The good thing is we have ?Ginge? ? alias James Collins ? back following a hamstring injury and that is crucial.

I?ve had major concerns with us only having three central defenders anyway and with Winston likely to be out for six weeks, the situation will have to be managed carefully.

Posted By: DrDublin, Nov 8, 20:27:07