Pards Calls For Hammers To Hit Back

HAMMERS boss Alan Pardew believes his side need to bounce back with a strong performance at Manchester City on Sunday after what he admitted was a below par display in the 1-1 draw against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Pards admitted his team had been fortunate to escape the North East with a point after being out-played by Sunderland for much of the game. But he is backing his Hammers squad to come up with the right response against a tough Manchester City side.

"It wasn't our best performance at Sunderland and we want to bounce back with a good display against Man City," he said. "Sunderland was probably our worst performance of the season so far, but we fought hard to get a draw and now we need to put that game behind us and focus on doing better at the City of Manchester Stadium.

"We've started the season well, but it's no more than that and there are still plenty of tough tests ahead of us. So far we've dealt with the hurdles very well. We came back after losing against Bolton with an excellent performance against Aston Villa, and it's how we respond to these tests that is important.

"If we can produce a good display in Manchester then hopefully the result will take care of itself."

Pards will have to plot his way past a Manchester City side that have also impressed in the Premier League this season. With 14 points from eight games they sit two places above Hammers in the table and at one stage topped the division.

"They are very well-organised," agreed Alan, "and they play with the charatcer of their manager. They are a strong team, with talented players but they are also very well-balanced.

"Their front pairing of Andy Cole and Darius Vassell are very dangerous and we'll really have to be on our guard against them. Our defence have looked solid recently though, so that's going to be an important battle.

"City are a different side to us, especially in the way they use their wide midfield players. In fact, I think those wide areas are going to be the key to the game and positions where we will have to play well."

Pards has confessed his long-standing admiration for City manager Stuart Pearce, both as a player and person, and recalls one uncomfortable afternoon marking the former Nottingham Forest and England star.

"It was while I was at Crystal Palace," explained the Hammers boss with a smile. "Steve Coppell decided to play me on the right to mark Stuart and stop him getting the ball into Nigel Clough.

"I've certainly had my run-ins with Stuart on the pitch, in the nicest possible way of course. I don't think I put too many tackles in that day. I probably thought it was best to just stay on my feet!

"He was one of the first people to call me after we had won the Play-off Final and offer his congratulations. That's just the sort of person he is and he certainly goes about his job as manager in the right manner.

"It'll be a tough game for us up there, but hopefully we can continue the sort of form we have been showing so far this season."