David Moyes sat down with the media on Good Friday afternoon to discuss this weekend’s Premier League fixture with Southampton at London Stadium.
The West Ham United manager says team spirit is high after a productive three-week break from competitive action and the players will be fully prepared for a ‘must-win’ game against the Saints.
Moyes also backed the Claret and Blue Army to have a positive impact on Saturday’s match and challenged his players to give the supporters plenty to cheer…
We’re very together and will work hard to win for each other
We had five days together in Miami and I thought it was really good. I thought it was the right time, we certainly had good weather and, with the way things went after the Burnley game, I thought it was a good time to take the players away as well. All in all, it gave us time to get the players together and train.
It was nothing to do with it being a defeat or a win in our final game before the international break, but because it was the right time to go away. We had three weeks off and we thought it was the best time to try and take a few days away.
I think, in most cases, we’d have wanted to get back out there and play another game, but there was nothing we could do about it. We were out of the FA Cup, so there was nothing we could do about that, so we thought it was the best chance and, after the way things went, it was good to get away and let the dust settle.
The players are very together and it’s given us a chance to emphasise the importance not only of being in the Premier League, but the importance of being good teammates and working together. They’ve been tough on themselves, because they know we’ve got to do better.
Southampton at home is a vital ‘must-win’ game
It is a vital game, but I’ve had vital games since day one. They’re getting more vital, if I can say that, as we’re running out of games as well.
But we’re positive. When I took over, we were in the bottom three and we’ve had some brilliant results, so that’s what we’re looking to do again.
We’ve used the time to emphasise to the players that that’s what we’ve got to get back to and, by hook or by crook, we’ll get those wins.
I think we’re all quite relaxed and we certainly know what we’ve got to do and that’s perform well. If we get good performances, we’ll get good results, and for long periods of our last game we performed really well.
What we need to do is do that again and take our chances and hopefully we’ll get the points.
I’m hoping we can pick up points from every game we play, but I think you can look at Southampton and Stoke at home as must-win games, which they are, but I think we have a chance of picking up points from all the other games as well.
Southampton is one of eight games we’ve got between now and the end of the season which we must win.
I don’t think there is anything between the bottom ten clubs and on their day, one can beat another, so I think it will go right to the end, until the last week or two of the season.
West Ham supporters have an important role to play on Saturday
I think the role of the crowd has been important, not just at West Ham but, wherever you go, you want the crowd behind you If you’re playing well, the crowd will always get behind you and when you’re not, they’re maybe not as good, wherever you go.
West Ham have got such a strong following and such a powerful support base that, when it’s good it’s really good, but when you’re not doing well they let you know. That’s part of West Ham.
I think the supporters will be right behind West Ham. They know the importance of the game and the importance of all the games and let’s make sure they help the team.
The team will give everything to give them something to shout about, so we’ll try and play our part, so we want them to make sure they play their part.
I think the atmosphere will be great, as it has apart from one occasion since I’ve been here. I’ve got no worries about the supporters, that’s for sure, as they’ll be right behind the team and I think they’ll show that as well.