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It was far from pleasant on Saturday as West Ham played host to newly promoted Peterbrough.

Undefeated in six, Sam Allardyce wanted to make it seven by any means necessary, which he did. The Hammers picked up all three points thanks to a well taken penalty by Mark Noble. A 1-0 win which felt like a loss, according to many supporters. Why is that?

Boring, long ball, unimaginative, ugly and route one. These are just some of the adjectives used to describe the football at The Boleyn ground this season under big Sam Allardyce. The same can be said about the last two seasons, except for one little difference; West Ham are unbeatean in seven games this season.

Some results have been ground out, other games won by a fair margin. The simple fact is that in a result driven business, big Sam is on course to lead the club to automatic promotion.

The main crticism thrown at Allardyce's team is its inability to play 'the West Ham way'. For those unfamiliar with our traditions, it refers to free flowing, attack-minded football and plenty of short passing. It has also been many years since we have last seen a West Ham side play such football. A sign of the times, perhaps, or a lack of adequate options? The sad truth is, we may not see it for a long time.

So what do we have to look forward to? With no free flowing football, how do the owners get the supporters to keep buying tickets?

First off, we are supporters. Which means we should support the club through thick and thin, immaterial of who is at the helm. You can dislike certain players, coaches and even managers, but the club is what we support. If it's entertainment you're looking for, the owners cannot guarantee it.

Now that's out of the way, I hope you're still here. If you are, you may want to sit down for what I'm about to tell you. Earth-shattering as it may be, under Sam Allardyce you will always get an organised unit. Commited, no-nonsense, match fit and tactically aware players, who work as a team and get results. As the season advances, the fitness levels will rise and the manager's imprint on his team will become more evident.

But we don't like giving managers time, do we? It's always here and now, and when they do deliver it's not quite the way we wanted it to look. So in reality, my choice of title is wrong, because Sam cannot win with the crowd. A case of damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. His biggest downfall is his perception going all the way back to his Bolton days, which reflects upon his signings and vice versa.

You may recall my article on the importance of a leader in this team. Well, Sam's choice seems to be raising crticism from the same voices who have it in for the manager. Kevin Nolan has been dubbed an unfit, immobile luxury and limited player, who offers little in footballing terms. His leadership skills have been underrated, much like those of his manager. I still maintain both are irreplaceable this season, and shouldn't be judged on how the other is perceived.

The team's mindset is a very important aspect. Two consecutive relegation battles have taken their toll, and confidence levels reached an all time low following our recent relegation. Players like Faubert, Tomkins, Green, Noble et al have adopted a losing mentality over the years, one which has held them back and made them look like poor footballers. This issue has been criminally overlooked for the past few seasons and is seemingly being taken lightly by supporters who fail to give Allardyce credit for the turn around in that area.

I can only speak for myself, but I used to dread going into match days last season. I suppose I've adopted the same losing mentality as some of our players, but I can wholeheartedly state that Sam Allardyce has helped me shake it off as well. I am no longer afraid of playing away from home, nor am I worried about a massive defeat at the hands of anyone. That's because I know that no matter how much abuse I utter under my breath when the players under perform, we finally have a manager who will let them know.

As you have probably realised, I have plenty of time for, and faith in, Allardyce. Not only do I trust him to guide us to promotion, but I also think he will improve our standard of football as well. With more resources and less pressure next season, he will have us playing attacking football while still being solid at the back.

Only one small problem, though; we need to support our club and our manager this season. That's the only way we can improve and achieve the level of football we all know and love.

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