Mateus Mane says Wolves “should smash the league”. Ok, well lets see how that pans out.
Our Hammers already have the upper hand at present, having beaten them 4-2 at the London Stadium so far this season.
Speaking to Wolves’ official website, the 19-year-old forward said that if they “stick together, fight for the badge and everything, we should smash the league”.
He also revealed that boss Cesar Peixoto put “We will be champions this season” up on the big screen at the training ground on the first day of pre-season.
You can’t fault the ambition. Every club coming down from the Premier League wants an immediate return, and West Ham are absolutely no different.
But it’s some statement to make when you’re fourth.
We’re second on 15 points from eight games. Wolves are fourth on 14, with a game in hand. Swansea are top.
So nobody is running away with anything yet. That’s exactly why the Championship punishes anyone who believes their own hype.
Wolves found that out at our place. So did Wrexham, beaten 6-0. Four straight league wins followed before that 2-2 scrap at the Den.
There’s a lovely irony in it, too. In that same interview Mane says his first Premier League goal, against West Ham, was “one of the best days of my life”. Good for him. The last time he came to east London in this league, he went home beaten.
Nuno, the players and most of us in the stands keep saying the same thing: promotion has to be earned. It’s head down, one game at a time, ready for the next Friday night.
That’s not a lack of ambition. It’s knowing what this league is. Every side in the division will raise their game against the clubs that came down, and Mane has just handed a few managers some free team-talk material.
Our reply to Mane starts against QPR at the London Stadium next Friday night. Win that, keep the run going and make the table do the talking.
