Why not start with a positive attitude?

If we are all completely honest it has not been a very good pre-season for the Hammers,not only results wise, but also fitness and performance wise, which is surely the whole point of these friendlies.

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With key players James Tomkins and Mohamed Diame at the Olympics and captain Kevin Nolan picking up an injury, you could argue that is an excuse to some extent, but for me that just shows a lack of strength in depth and quality.

But as many people continuously tell me, pre-season results mean very little and toad-like Avram Grant picked up win after win in friendlies, so perhaps they are right? But not for me.

Confidence will be key for West Ham, going into the start of the season and after theirWembley heroics, it must have been flowing. But defeats to the likes of Ipswich Town and Oxford will have dented that somewhat, meaning that the lads will need every inch of help they can going into a tough opener against improving AstonVilla.

Upton Park was a subdued and at some points negative place to watch football last season and I imagine it wasn’t the nicest of places to play for the home players. With expectancy sky-high for every single game, anything less than a win was greeted with jeers and moans from the home fans, but surely this time out it will be different?

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There are only a handful of games that Hammers fans will genuinely go into believing they should win, but that doesn’t stop us from going to Upton Park feeling confident,happy that we are in the Premier League again and really getting behind Big Sam and the team.

I know at times it is easier said than done and reading through my Twitter timeline, I know a lot of West Ham supporters aren’t particularly pleased with the summer’s low key transfer spending, but we aren’t a mega rich, foreign owned club are we.

Yes, rumours on social media outlets and people like Moose from TalkSport enjoy to spread rumours that they have heard,but that doesn’t help our fans optimism does it.

However, I for one can’t wait to get back over to the Barking Road, get back into the pubs(if they haven’t all shut down) and standing, signing, encouraging us to remainin the top flight every other week. It is a cliché, but our 12th man could be vital this season.

Who knows,new recruit Modibo Maiga could be a Demba Ba type and our very own Yaya Toure, Mo Diame could be an inspired piece of business. Another striker could arrivebefore the end of the transfer window along with a winger and some cover at the back that would give me confidence of survival; which has to be the aim;comparing our squad to the likes of Reading, Southampton, Wigan, Norwich, West Brom etc.

It is frustrating, but if the players, management and owners see the extent of our frustration, is that really going to help things? No. The second Bubbles kicks in next Saturday at 2.59pm lets make a real difference hey.

Let me know on Twitter your opinions on the new season:@Brad_Pinard