Getting to grips with Premier League football for West Ham United has been an enjoyable challenge for new arrival Niclas Füllkrug.
Füllkrug, who joined the Club from Borussia Dortmund earlier this month, is relishing the opportunity to widen his footballing prowess and believes he will soon be hitting his goalscoring best.
The striker made his debut as a second-half substitute in the opening day defeat to Aston Villa before making a telling impact off the bench in last weekend’s 2-0 win against Crystal Palace. His form was rewarded with a first start in the Hammers’ Carabao Cup win over AFC Bournemouth, and he is desperate to net his first goal in West Ham colours when Manchester City travel to east London on Saturday.
Füllkrug is under no illusions as to the challenge that lies in wait for his teammates against the reigning Premier League champions but is confident his side can go toe-to-toe with Pep Guardiola’s men.
“It will be a very tough game, but I think we’ve also got some very, very good players," the Germany international stated. "We have to try and get some possession of the ball because Manchester City are not used to always defending, so if we can do that then we can hurt them.
"We have to try and attack because if we only defend against them, then it will be very difficult to win the game like that.
“I had a very late start to pre-season and need some more time to adapt and to get my perfect performance. Until now, it’s been very good for me as I have nice teammates, very high-quality teammates, and I think we have to trust the process and be patient as we have a new coach and new players, so we have to find a way to connect everything, and I hope for a very successful season.”
The Irons occupy ninth spot in the Premier League after a positive opening fortnight of the season, and the forward says the Irons will only get better under the guidance of Julen Lopetegui.
The No11 continued: “It’s been a very positive start, and we now have a very big game against Manchester City. I think it’s been good, but we need to continue in this way, and we need to try and earn every point, and we will be looking to do the same on Saturday.
“It’s been very different [playing in the Premier League]. It’s a very competitive league, and everyone regards it as the best league in the world. It’s a different atmosphere, and it feels as if there is a lot of history in the stadium. It’s a nice feeling to have a different way of playing football, and I’m looking forward to the next games and the season.
“I think against Palace I should have scored, but sometimes it’s not that easy. I’m working very hard for that first Premier League goal and working very hard in every training session to improve to get better, in shape, and to score goals like I have throughout the last few years. We have to be patient. They [goals] will come, and once the first has come, the others will fall faster.”
