Mark Noble And Marko Arnautovic West Hamjpg
Some penalty shootouts you love, some not so much.
Yes, indeed. Yeah, you win some you lose some, I think the resilience of the team over probably 90 minutes. I think in some ways we missed a couple of decent chances as well with two from Tomas [Soucek] and one from Yarmo [Andriy Yarmolenko]. And I think probably the honesty and the resilience of the team they deserved to get over the line with the penalty shoot-out. So, really good night for this football club. I believe [there were] 60,000 people in the stadium and you could not get a ticket for the game so it was absolutely superb and the players deserve all the credit and myself as a coach I have probably got to give a bit of credit to our manager as well. You know, he drives this football club on a daily basis and to be honest with you anyone that’s approaching 1000 matches [as a manager] has to be taken very seriously and he’s done a wonderful job at the club.
There is definitely something happening here at West Ham isn’t there?
We feel as though we’re in a building process if I’m being honest with you. There’s a real level of honesty in the dressing room hard work as well underpins everything that we do at the football club. We will not get washed away with it. We know there are big challenges up ahead, but we feel as though, certainly the manager does, and I speak on his behalf tonight, that he is developing this club and growing this football club.
What did you make of Mark Noble tonight? Obviously he had the disappointment against Manchester United from the spot and it looked like it really meant a lot to him when he put his penalty away and also during the game he competed really well in the team instead of Declan Rice.
He has been a wonderful captain for this club for over a decade. He’s been incredible. He’s a great role model for young players and I know as a coach because I worked with him at Under 21 level so we’ve got a connection going back to when he was in his late teens and early 20s And he is one that he inspires from within, from within the dressing room. And credit to him, he has not had a load of game time this year but when he was asked to come in and lead the team tonight, he has been incredible, he’s a great role model for young players.
That was a solid performance against a very strong Manchester City team. As a coach, what was the most pleasing aspect of the of the game?
Well, I think you’ve really hit the point this is an outstanding Manchester City team with a very strong lineup. There was a respect for our football club in many ways knowing full well they were going to be in for a tough game. But from our point of view, I think the resilience in our defensive work which we had to defend a lot Manchester City have the majority of possession whenever they play most teams in the world. So you have to suffer without the ball and what we did with the ball to have the courage to take the ball from the back and attempt to keep playing and keep playing from their press was the most pleasing thing. And on top of that as well the manager made changes and he’s done that consistently this season and when he has whichever players taken the field wearing a West Ham shirt has given their best.
West Ham are yet to concede with Ben Johnson in the team this season, how impressed have you been with him?
Well, the most important thing about Ben is whenever you pass him or meet him first thing in the morning, he’s got a smile on his face. He takes in all the knowledge you can pass on to him. He’s a wonderful professional to deal with and work with. We’re very proud to have him out of our academy system as well, which is a real plus for us. Especially with the connection to this club with the Academy. And I think he’s just developing and getting better and better and like with all young players, the more game time they have, the better they’ll get so I am delighted for the boy.
