Koeman eyes first league win

Speaking to the media ahead of Saturday’s game at the Boleyn Ground, the Saints manager highlighted the importance of aiming for a win against the Hammers on their own patch.

“Always important because it’s the best way to have confidence,” Koeman told reporters in a press conference on Thursday. 

“You can talk and you can believe, but points bring in a good feeling. We lost to Liverpool and it wasn’t good one against West Bromwich. 

“We have to be prepared because West Ham have started in a good way this season and will be tough to beat, and we are prepared for that, and maybe with a good result, we are in a good way.”

When asked whether it could work to Saints’ advantage to be the visiting team, Koeman was honest in his assessment, and gave an insight into how he has prepared for the game.

He said: “What I did before against Liverpool I watched the [Southampton] game of last season but I didn’t watch the game against West Ham from last season. I watched West Ham against Tottenham and Crystal Palace against West Ham.

“They have had a good start to the season. They are an aggressive team – they play an aggressive, physical way.

“I think it’s a little bit different than our philosophy and it’s always difficult to beat those sort of teams and that will be Saturday as well.”

Saints recorded a victory in the capital earlier this week with a largely unchanged team earning a 2-0 win over Millwall in the League Cup, and Koeman hopes to keep the momentum building within the squad following that success.

“It’s always important to win and it’s a different competition,” he explained.

“We didn’t make a lot of changes in the team because we are starting the season and we need to improve ourselves and get confidence.

“Saturday is totally different. It’s Premier League and West Ham away is different to Millwall away.

“You have to be prepared and we are prepared for Saturday.”