ALAN Pardew is expecting a charged atmosphere at Upton Park this
evening and insists the feeling inside the stadium tonight will be
essential to his side's quest for three points against
Sunderland.
"It's a massive night," he confessed. "The
atmosphere is going to be charged and we're urging the crowd to
create a really special atmosphere, like only Upton Park can
create.
"The feeling inside the stadium is going to be essential this
evening and I'm sure the Hammers fans will rise to the occasion
and make it a night to remember. We know how important this game is
to the whole of the Club and the players are determined to respond
in the right way and get the three points we need.
"We're up against the best and most consistent team in the
League. But we'll give nothing short of 100 per cent tonight
and after the game we'll see where that leaves us. Hopefully,
it will be with the win and three valuable points."
Pards has nothing but admiration for the job Mick McCarthy and his
staff have done at the Stadium of Light this season. But there will
be no respecting of reputations from either side this evening, as
the Hammers boss confirmed his suspicion that the Black Cats will
not suffer a promotion hangover at Upton Park.
"You don't secure promotion with two games to go by being
unprofessional," he explained. "They'll really want
to get the result that secures them the title and make sure they
play well in front of the Sky cameras.
"Mick has done a terrific job crafting Sunderland into a
strong side that plays good football. I'd like to place on
record my congratulations for the work Mick and his staff have done
there.
"I think the teams are similar in terms of the way they play,
with lots of energy in midfield. The midde of the pitch is going to
be a key area for both teams tonight, and from our point of view
we've got to create things from there.
"In terms of players we're on an even keel with Sunderland
in my opinion. I think the difference this season has been that the
players who came down with Sunderland have been available
throughout the season and formed the backbone of Mick's side -
like Julio Arca, the two goalkeepers and Stephen Wright.
"For us, most of our Premiership players if you will have been
injured or unavailable, which has been a major problem. It's
meant drafting in young players much earlier than we would have
liked, but those youngsters have done fantastically well and
they've got a great chance to prove how good they are this
evening.
"It's going to be a huge night for them, but I'm
confident they will respond in the right way."
Should Hammers win the pressure will pile on close rivals Reading,
who play at home to Wolves tomorrow. But Pards warns that playing a
day early will only be an advantage if West Ham claim all three
points.
"I think playing a day earlier is an advantage," he
stressed, "because it gives us the chance to get the upper
hand on the teams around us.
"If we win it will really put the pressure on the teams around
us, but it will work in the opposite way if we don't get the
result we want, because it would give a real boost to the chasing
teams.
"That's why it is so important we focus on our job this
evening, create a fantastic atmosphere inside the stadium and
really concentrate on winning what could be a crucial three
points."
Pards' Play-off Charge
29th April 2005