Sam Allardyce targets more signings at West Ham despite summer spree

[admin]

<div class="track"><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.24.1.1/88341?ns=guardian&pageName=Sam+Allardyce+targets+more+signings+at+West+Ham+despite+summer+spree%3AArticle%3A1789509&ch=Football&c3=Guardian&c4=West+Ham+United+%28Football%29%2CTransfer+window+%28football%29%2CSam+Allardyce%2CFootball%2CSport&c5=Premier+League&c6=Sachin+Nakrani&c7=12-Aug-17&c8=1789509&c9=Article&c10=News&c11=Football&c13=&c25=&c30=content&c42=Sport&h2=GU%2FSport%2FFootball%2FWest+Ham+United" width="1" height="1" /></div><p class="standfirst">• Allardyce has made eight signings but wants three more<br />• 'We have talent but not enough numbers,' says manager</p><p>It is a little over 20 months since Sam Allardyce last managed in the Premier League and there is no doubting his enthusiasm at being back. The West Ham United manager speaks of the division being "the best in the world" and how he is "looking forward" to again pitting his wits against the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger. But there is also a sense of dread consuming the 57-year-old.</p><p>Allardyce's immediate concern as he prepared to face Aston Villa at Upton Park on Saturday, surrounds the size of his squad. He has signed eight players since West Ham were promoted via the play-offs in May, notably Jussi Jaaskelainen, James Collins and the France midfielder Alou Diarra, but having allowed 12 players to leave, as well as fail to land his principal target, Andy Carroll, and see a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matt Jarvis stall, there is a sense from the manager that he is "well short" of bodies.</p><p>"We've got quite a bit of talent but not enough numbers. We're at least three players short," he said. "If we had injuries now we'd be struggling to get a team out. I'm not looking for three squad players, I'm looking for three first-team players who can challenge straight away."</p><p>The broader issue Allardyce must deal with is the one that has been there since he took over at Upton Park in June 2011; the expectations of the fans. Last season they demanded he got the club back in the Premier League following their relegation under Avram Grant and that he did so deploying an attractive style of football. The first ambition was achieved but, in their eyes, the second was not, and while Allardyce is at ease defending his direct style of play he is aware an uneasy truce remains between terraces and dugout and that the pressure is on him to prevent them suffering a fifth top-flight relegation in 24 years.</p><p>"There is a greater expectation [on West Ham] even though we went up via the play-offs and Reading and Southampton went up automatically," Allardyce said. "At the end of the day a fan supports a club as he sees fit because he is paying his money. There is a big pressure on us. We are expected to not be relegated, so what we've got to do is win matches, because that is what keeps fans happy. Losing matches gets you the sack."</p><p>But having kept Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League for six years – during which time he also led them into Europe – and taken Blackburn Rovers to 10th prior to his shock sacking there in December 2010, Allardyce is not cowering under the weight of expectation. The Premier League is where he wants to be and the task he has set his players is to not only remain in the division but do so comfortably.</p><p>"To just talk about being safe is extremely dangerous," he said. "There will obviously be some anxieties but to just think the goal is to finish safe is a goal that could mean you end up getting relegated. It's not a big enough goal to stretch the players.</p><p>"My life is about demanding standards off everyone who works with me, I put them under enormous pressure to deliver. But I put myself under more pressure than anyone else could."</p><div class="related" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/westhamunited">West Ham United</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/transfer-window">Transfer window</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/sam-allardyce">Sam Allardyce</a></li></ul></div><div class="author"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/sachinnakrani">Sachin Nakrani</a></div><br/><div class="terms"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> &copy; 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our <a href="http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html">Terms & Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/help/feeds">More Feeds</a></div><p style="clear:both" /><img width='1' height='1' src='http://guardian.co.uk.feedsportal.com/c/34708/f/639039/s/227d0ffe/mf.gif' border='0'/><br/><br/><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/139263320827/u/49/f/639039/c/34708/s/227d0ffe/a2.htm"><img src="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/139263320827/u/49/f/639039/c/34708/s/227d0ffe/a2.img" border="0"/></a><img width="1" height="1" src="http://pi.feedsportal.com/r/139263320827/u/49/f/639039/c/34708/s/227d0ffe/a2t.img" border="0"/>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/qXz2I70TaBnSxglx1hV6dYPxeKc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/qXz2I70TaBnSxglx1hV6dYPxeKc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/qXz2I70TaBnSxglx1hV6dYPxeKc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/qXz2I70TaBnSxglx1hV6dYPxeKc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/theguardian/football/rss/~4/-NZmZI4SDNI" height="1" width="1"/>

More...