Hammond not surprised by start

18 October 2011 08:36
Southampton midfielder Dean Hammond is hoping to repeat history against West Ham when the Hammers visit the league leaders on Tuesday evening.[LNB] Hammond scored twice against the Hammers in Brighton colours during the east London club's previous spell in the second tier during the 2004-05 campaign and wants to renew his personal duel at St Mary's.[LNB]Southampton have won all their home games this season and are now two points ahead of West Ham, but the Saints skipper is not shocked at their strong start.[LNB]"It's surprised a few people, but it hasn't surprised us," he told the club's official website. "We went into the new season fitter than ever and in a very positive frame of mind.[LNB]"The hard part was having to adapt to the higher level, but we adapted quickly. The good start has given us more confidence and more self-belief, but no one here is taking it more than one game at a time."[LNB]West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has warned he could make changes against the Saints despite a dominant display in the match against Blackpool on Saturday.[LNB]The Hammers climbed to second in the table after a 4-0 hammering of the Seasiders in what Allardyce called a "complete performance".[LNB]The win included a brace for 22-year-old striker Sam Baldock and goals for John Carew and Jack Collison.[LNB]But Allardyce could switch from a 4-4-2 system to 4-3-3 in a bid to nullify Saints' threat at St Mary's.[LNB]"I will change things if I think it's necessary," Allardyce told the Evening Standard.[LNB]"I will adapt my team first and foremost to nullify Southampton's strengths.[LNB]"If we don't do that we will become one of many teams to lose at Southampton."

Source: Team_Talk