Poyet - 'We did not look like worst team in Premier League' Allardyce - 'Draw was a fair result' A tense, often sluggish draw was played out at Upton Park, but the result leaves both clubs deep in the relegation mire. Sunderland were the more impressive of the two sides and will perhaps see this as a missed opportunity to register their first away win of the season. Manager Gus Poyet was upbeat about his sides performance and also their chances of survival, stating 'We didn't look like the worst team in the Premier League. To get out of this situation, you need to score, win and take 3 points' He went on to add that this performance resembled something that he had been looking for. ' Today, especially in the first half, this was my team. I'm upset that we didn't win, but for the first time, it was my team' Sunderland looked solid defensively, with goalkeeper Vito Mannone less troubled than his opposite number, Jussi Jaaskelainen. However, it is likely to be a concern to Poyet that they appear to lack a striker that can help fire them to safety, with neither Altidore, Borini or Fletcher looking confident in front of goal. Sam Allardyce faces similar problems at West Ham, and will no doubt feel the pressure has grown slightly after this disappointing performance and result. By the end of the match, Big Sam may reflect on this as a point gained rather than two dropped, given his team were second best for large parts of this match, although he felt the draw was a fair result. 'We ended up with a dogged affair, rather than the creative flair we showed against Fulham. We wanted someone to find a bit of genius on the day, for one of our creative players to find something a bit special, but we couldn't find that today and the draw was probably a fair result' The Hammers again looked toothless as an attacking force, with Modibo Maiga cutting a lonely figure up front, and their only other attacking option, Carlton Cole, only introduced for the last quarter of an hour. A lot has been made of the decision to sign Andy Carroll, given his fitness problems, and more importantly, that Big Sam did not sign adequate cover for the big target man. When pressed on Carroll and a likely return date, Allardyce added ' Once he gets fit, he will make us better, but there is no point talking about him until he is ready to play. It's not his fault he is injured. We need to get him fit and keep him fit. He could be the difference between us winning more games and not' With a trip to Old Trafford next for West Ham, followed by a home tie against high flying Arsenal, Big Sam will be hoping he is still around to see the return of Carroll.
I am an Evertonian originating from Yorkshire and living in Bedfordshire. I have always had an obsession with football and a passion for writing and I am keen to get started in the world of football journalism. I hope that my writing entertains you all and leaves you thirsty for more!
