- Pedro Obiang is targeting a second Premier League win of the season this weekend
- West Ham United travel to Crystal Palace for the Saturday teatime kick-off
- Spanish midfielder was outstanding against Middlesbrough last time out
Pedro Obiang is hoping West Ham United’s luck will turn when they head to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The Hammers have won just one of their opening seven Premier League matches in 2016/17, but the return of Obiang to the starting XI inspired an improved performance against Middlesbrough last time out.
The combative Spanish midfielder was outstanding against Boro, winning the ball and using it intelligently all over the London Stadium pitch.
The No14 is set for another battle at Selhurst Park, where he will likely come up against the dangerous Jason Puncheon, among others.
“The season is very long, we know that, and I would use the word ‘tough’ to describe it so far, but we have a good team and the Club has taken massive steps forward with the new Stadium and training ground,” he observed.
“I don’t think everyone has got used to it just yet, from the fans to the players to the Club as a whole, but we’re working out the way to get results and move forward.”
Much has been written about the perceived effect of West Ham’s summer move to Stratford, but Obiang himself says fortune rather than venue have played a greater role in the side’s recent struggles.
“I think we’ve been unlucky with the results we’ve had so far,” he said. “Last season, we were playing at a stadium with a lot of history and the fans and the players were united, and the new players all settled in, but now we’ve got the task of writing a new history for the Club in this new Stadium.
“We need to make our own luck, which is what we did last year. We need to do the same things we did and if we can get a couple of wins then that will help our confidence and us to move up the table.”
“Not all stories have a happy beginning, so we’ve got to make sure this season has a happy ending, like a fairytale!”