Sam Allardyce celebrates as the Hammers avoid losing a third game on the bounce; we're just happy to win. Big Sam's full press conference exclusively here...
Sam: you made a lot of changes and got a positive reaction from your players today, including those who came on as substitutes?
Yes. The only disappointing thing for me today was that we didn't score more goals before the subs came on. That was something I was getting pretty nervous about, because we all know at 1-0 that one slip and Fulham could maybe capitalise on something they perhaps didn't deserve.
Of course, we had many chances to go two-nil up before the subs came on but they came on and finished the game for us. It's just great for you as a manager to have finally got a victory that you've been searching for, winning three-nil at home. Results and goals have been difficult to come by home and away; we've scored three today and on the balance of play could have scored a lot more.
Hopefully the players have overcome that issue about taking chances. We got a little bit of luck on the first goal, which I felt Mo Diame deserved after his hard work in winning the ball back to get at the Fulham defence. The two goals after that which won us the game were fantastic and I think we got a performance and a result today.
That's what every player, manager and fan wants as everybody goes home happy and we feel a bit more relieved, a bit more comfortable about our position. Certainly we haven't got long to dwell on that because by tomorrow [Sunday] morning we've got to get ready for Crystal Palace on Tuesday.
You said last week there was a bit of fear in the players. That first goal today seemed to transform them?
Well it always does, doesn't it? Goals change games and breeds a little bit more confidence in the players. In the end we started to create more and more chances and started to hit the target more and more, which is what I've been talking about. We had nine shots on target and (only) four off target in the same half; that was the difference to why we actually got three goals today in the end, I think.
From the players' point of view, they'll feela little bit of relief like I said - but we can't rest on our laurels, we've got a big game on Tuesday. As I've just said in the dressing room, it's been an up and down season that we didn't quite expect so can we make it a positive on Tuesday and do what we couldn't do last season by winning back-to-back games.
Today we avoided losing three games on the trot yet again. We've not lost three games on the trot since we've been back in the Premier League. Now can we go and have a more positive attitude and [hopefully] result by winning our first back-to-back games since we've been back. It'd make a massive difference if we can get another three points on Tuesday night.
We've only relieved the pressure slightly today; no result on Tuesday would bring us right back down to earth and put the pressure right back on us. We're playing another team who are in and around where we are and who have a new manager who's incredibly experienced at this level. We've got to go and make sure we get a result at Palace.
You had a nice exchange with Martin Jol at the start. Did you feel a bit for him at the end with his head in his hands?
Always. You can't be in our game not feeling for each other when things aren't going our way. It's a lonely old job when you're trying to find the right solution to results. It's one where people don't really understand what you go through because they've never experienced it. Talking to each other and pulling ourselves through...
The people that you interract with on a regular basis have got to help you, because you're in a position where you take all the heat. You've got to take all the heat because it's your job and if it's going bad it's your responsibility - no matter whether you've got injuries, no matter whether you should have signed this one or that one before the deadline and you didn't get him; it's no excuse in the end.
Even though it is an excuse for not getting the results everybody expects.
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