Sam Allardyce has currently got us into a nice comfy spot in the Premier League, 8th place. Now has this factor alone that has got us starting to warm to Big Sam. That is the question I will try to answer.
Last season when West Ham signed Sam Allardyce because of relegation there were question marks over whether he could get us promoted or not. This was mainly due to his supposed long ball tactics which has followed him throughout the years. So like any new season for West Ham the pressure was well and truly on. To say the least Big Sam didn’t try very hard to get rid of this long ball tag, with West Ham playing the long ball for most of the Championship season. This tactic proved to work however with West Ham getting promoted at the first time of asking, albeit through the play-offs. As much as we were delighted with promotion, we should actually realise that we should have dominated that league. It is true that we gave away some easy points that season, such as the Crystal Palace game at home where we should of won, however we only drew 0-0. These type of games could have been given away possibly through Big Sam style of play.
This current season is now one that is very important as getting relegated would possibly see us lose some important players and put us back to square one. It is also an important season for Allardyce as his contract runs out in the summer and if he wishes to get another he will have to do well this season. Essentially it is a make or break season for him and West Ham. So what has he done this season, well he has tried harder to get rid of this long ball tag with West Ham playing some attractive football this season. Despite our recent loss against Arsenal, we can still walk away from that game with our heads held high because we played well, sadly though on the day they were the better team. Allardyce has also got us into a very healthy 8th position.
That now leaves me to answer the question that I asked at the beginning, are we starting to warm to Big Sam. I think that we are, this is because so far this season he has helped us into a very good position to be. There has also been times where ex-pros have said that we are not relegation candidates, this is always a good thing to be said about us. Another reason that we are starting to warm to Big Sam is because he has helped us to promotion at the first time of asking which is always a tall order to follow. Sam Allardyce is also a shrewd buyer in the transfer market, with us bringing in Andy Carroll this season on loan with a view to a permanent deal. I think this and great deal and Andy can influence the team massively, but that’s a different story altogether.