It’s always a good week when a home win is followed up by an away victory but there is a growing sense that West Ham United have entered that state seldom visited by many sides wearing the claret and blue over the years.

I refer to that most important of elements in the make-up of any good team – that of confidence.

It’s something no manager can buy, no board can invest in and no coaching staff can instil, but if a side has it, they can raise their game to unimaginable levels when required. But, more importantly, they are able to do the small things well and get points where previously there wouldn’t be any.

The 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Saturday was a good example.

The match was decided by a solitary strike in an otherwise unremarkable game but it was the nature of Aaron Creswell’s goal that was so fascinating.

The defender’s unmarked run from his own half is something that, when things are going badly, can so often end up with a misplaced pass and a player out of position – and that is assuming the player has the confidence to try it at all.

What did Creswell see that he thought he could get on the end of? He might have hoped to have helped out in an attack but did he really expect to find himself on the end of a mis-hit shot from a colleague? It’s difficult to imagine, but then it doesn’t matter. When a team is playing well and with confidence these things have a way of sorting themselves out.

Similarly, against West Bromwich Albion the Hammers might have found themselves pegged back in another season. This campaign though, a bit of dogged defending was enough to secure all three points after coming back from behind – another great confidence booster – and with a winnable game against Swansea City coming up on TV on Sunday, there’s real hope it could be a nine-point week.

That’s a rarity for the Upton Park faithful, true – but confidence is high so why not?

See, it’s rubbing off on me too!