Midfielder believes West Ham can recover from United defeat and beat Bolton
“It’s a game we can hopefully get something from and win, we fancy our chances,”
� Gary O’Neil believes West Ham can put the ‘small blip’ against Manchester United behind them and beat Bolton at the Reebok Stadium this Saturday.
The Hammers were beaten 4-2 by the league leaders at Upton Park last weekend and take on a Wanderers side who have won the last seven meetings between the two, but O’Neil is unconcerned by the two teams’ recent history.
“No, I wasn’t aware of it, it doesn’t concern me and to me it doesn’t make any difference. It’s a game we can hopefully get something from and win, we fancy our chances,” he said defiantly.
“They have had a good season, Owen Coyle has done a good job there, but we have done well recently. Today (Saturday) was a small blip, it was Manchester United and they are a long way clear, we are looking at next week to get back on the kind of run we were on before.”
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Before Saturday, O’Neil had tasted defeat just once in a league game since joining the Hammers in January, when West Ham were beaten 1-0 by Birmingham at Upton Park. And, despite Saturday’s setback O’Neil confident that impressive form continue until the end of the campaign.
“My first game was Blackpool and since that game we have been on a really good run, so hopefully that will continue for the rest of the season,” he said.
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“When I signed here I looked at the squad and thought they had enough to stay up, so hopefully that will prove to be the case.
“I think we will stay up, there are some big games, we have given ourselves a good chance, hopefully we can get enough points.”
O’Neil has gone about his business quietly and although he may not have scored the goals that the likes of fellow new boys Demba Ba and Thomas Hitzlsperger have, his workmanlike performances either on the right hand side of midfield or even as part of a front three have given the Hammers much-needed balance on that side.
“It’s a new role for me, I’ve not played it often. There’s a lot of work,” he said.
“Last week we had (Benoit) Assou-Ekotto and (Gareth) Bale on the left and today (Saturday) we had (Ryan) Giggs, I’m trying to stop the full backs and the supply.
“I have done okay, the results have been good which has been the main thing.
“I’ve been playing wide on the right as part of a five which isn’t my best position, wide of the four is not too bad, but of a five, I have not played there a lot.”
