Joe Hart believes the support of the Claret and Blue Army can lift West Ham United’s performances to greater heights over the coming weeks and month.
The England goalkeeper said the atmosphere created by Hammers fans in Friday’s Premier League draw with Leicester City at London Stadium undoubtedly gave the players a boost.
In David Moyes’ first home game in charge, Hart and company responded by outrunning and out-sprinting their opponents and, on balance of play, should arguably have picked up their third top-flight win of the season.
“I’d like to say a big ‘Thank you’ to the fans as it could have gone one of two ways on Friday night and they chose to stick with us and we have put a performance in,” said Hart, who was powerless to prevent Marc Albrighton’s early opener for Leicester.
“I was stood in goal and didn't have a lot to do second half and it would have been easy to carry on hammering us, but they were fantastic.
“As good as the players are who we’ve got on our team, when we have their support we play differently. I’m not attaching any blame to the fans, but it meant the world to the players.
“There is steam coming off the big man [Carroll] because he's ironing people out trying to score goals. That's what they want to see and the quality will come.”
As good as the players are who we’ve got on our team, when we have their support we play differently
Joe Hart
While the crowd most definitely played their part, Hart also revealed how manager Moyes’ words were ringing in the players’ ears as they took to the pitch at London Stadium.
As a result, West Ham ran nearly 6km more than their visitors, sprinted 498 times to Leicester’s 387, won ten more duels, delivered almost twice as many crosses and spent nearly a third of the match inside the Foxes’ final third.
“The manager has asked for quality, he wants goals but first and foremost he wants us to fight, be in shape and be disciplined and I think we did that on Friday.
“At Watford we lost 2-0 and it wasn’t great, but we missed some big chances. On Friday night, the fans stuck with us and we put a big performance in.
Next up for West Ham is a trip to struggling Everton on Wednesday evening, where Hart is desperate for his team to produce quality at both ends of the pitch and pick up a welcome three-point haul.
Should the team and the fans repeat the intensity of Friday’s display, victory at Goodison Park is a distinct possibility.