Source: Team_Talk
Grant explains Hammers troubles
Avram Grant spoke of West Ham's psychological problems after his team squeezed into the third round of the Carling Cup by beating Oxford 1-0.[LNB] Captain Scott Parker scored the winner with a right-footed shot from six yards deep into injury-time at Upton Park to spare West Ham a night of humiliation against their League Two opponents.[LNB]It was West Ham's first win of the new season and while Grant had made six changes from the side which lost to Bolton in the Premier League at the weekend, they were still booed off at half-time by the home crowd.[LNB]The win, however, provided some respite and Grant said: "It's not just the win but the fact that it is in the last minute.[LNB]"Mentally it is not just because it is the first win but that we did it in the last moment. This team carried a lot of psychology problems.[LNB]"Tonight they saw that if you don't give up and keep trying to do the right things you can score in the last moment.[LNB]"When everything goes well we are okay, when it does not go well we are a bit nervous.[LNB]"When you play against a team not from our league they will always defend. I liked that the players continued to pass the ball and were not crazy to score. We are in the next round and that is the most important thing."[LNB]Oxford manager Chris Wilder said: "We had to keep things really tight and stay in the game.[LNB]"The players grew into the game and enjoyed the experience and when you see the reaction of their goalkeeper at the end when he slid 40 yards on his knees in front of their supporters that says it all.[LNB]"Carlton Cole came on and (Benni) McCarthy came on and when that happens you know you've done all right.[LNB]"I'm delighted for the football club. We've been off the radar for a long time and now we are back on it with games like tonight with 4,000 supporters on a Tuesday night in east London.[LNB]"I've got some good, athletic players. We've played well this season. We've not got the points total we should have done but the standard of performance is pretty high. We have to use this as a springboard to go and get our first win of the season.[LNB]"We had nothing to lose. I've played teams from lower leagues before and every misplaced pass gets a little boo and a groan. Sometimes you tighten up and do not play free-flowing football. That's why it was important to keep it tight early on.[LNB]"But right at the end to see the ball in the back of the net was heartbreaking for everybody."
