So one of the biggest days of the football calendar was on Sunday, The F.A. Cup 3rd Round Draw and for me personally I was hoping for an away tie.
A trip to Sheffield United, Leeds, Nottingham Forest or one of our local London rivals would have been nice. So I think West Ham being pulled out at home to Manchester United brought out mixed feelings from all Hammers fans.
I think we would all love a good cup run and a chance to get to another final and being drawn against one of the biggest clubs in the world in the third round puts a bit of a downer on things but then at the same time you have to beat the best to win the cup and having an opportunity to get one over Man Utd is always good.
As the draw was developing and there were not many teams left I had a funny feeling that we were going to be pulled out against Man Utd and I was wondering to myself if this maybe a good omen that we have got them and that a repeat of a couple of years ago could happen.
Obviously two years ago we got Man United in the Carling Cup and that game like this one was put on T.V. It was a great night for all hammers fans; beating the ‘great’ Manchester United 4-0 at the Boleyn Ground doesn’t happen too often.
Games under the lights at Upton Park are unbeatable especially when it is a massive game or against a big rival. The atmosphere is always electric and the team will always respond when they can hear and feel how buzzing all the fans are.
If we can perform like we did in the second half against Chelsea I think we can win this game and then hopefully go on a good run in the cup. We need to have a high tempo and be right in their faces. We can’t allow them to have any time or space in the middle of the park and if we do they will teat us apart like Tottenham did a couple of weeks ago. This is where we need Noble and especially Diame to be in the same sort of mood as they were in the second half on Saturday.
We were unlucky the other week when we played them up at Old Trafford and I feel with their problems at the back we can take advantage of them. Whoever is playing upfront they need to be hassling the back four at any chance they get.
The Boleyn Ground has once again become a bit of a fortress for us having only lost twice at home in the whole of 2012 so far and once this season against Arsenal. I can’t remember a time when I have been so confident that on our day at home we can beat anybody.
Big Sam and I must say Kevin Nolan have installed a great team spirit and confidence in the squad that makes us able to perform against any team that arrives at Upton Park.
