Following West Ham United’s battling display at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday , there’s been a lot of nonsense being written in the media, claiming that West Ham have added ‘steel and determination’ to their blossoming attacking skills this season. I believe this is fundamentally wrong.

That’s not to say there wasn’t much to admire in the Hammers’ fight-back from 2-0 down to share the spoils – particularly as the Irons were comprehensively outplayed for almost an hour of the game and last season they never managed to pick up a point when going behind away from Upton Park.

But the fact remains it was the belief in their ability to score that really turned the tables in the final third of the match. The team is bristling with confidence currently and once Enner Valencia had headed powerfully home from Stewart Downing’s superb running cross, you could sense that the players believed they could not only pull the deficit back but, perhaps, even go on to win.

This shouldn’t be mistaken for a new found determination though. The Hammers have always fought and battled – it is one of the things that Sam Allardyce has imbued in all the teams he has managed – but this determination is normally best seen in defence and midfield, where strong running, blocks and tackles sometimes get forgotten at the end of the game.

Last season, you sensed heads dropping when the opposition went ahead; the team knew they didn’t have enough of a cutting edge to pull the deficit back let alone push on for all three points. This season, there is belief aplenty and everyone is so up for the game that even the unfairly maligned Carlton Cole has had the opportunity to grab a bit of the applause.

Against Stoke City, the introduction of the stalwart Cole from the bench at half-time helped unsettle the resolute Potters’ defence and with Downing looking dangerous – is there a more improved footballer in the Premier League this season? - there was always a sense that the game could turn in an instant.

That the Hammers are able to cover for injuries to players like Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll is one of the major pluses of the campaign so far.

It would be particularly churlish to find fault with the Hammers so far then – apart from the home defeat against Southampton, the team have looked sharp and inventive even when they have lost.

If anything needs to be addressed though, it would be in defence where the Hammers have only been able to keep a clean sheet in one league game. If Sam can manage to bring a return to last season’s obdurate defending and ally it with this season’s invention and flair then West Ham could become a very exciting team indeed.