Sam Allardyce calls on West Ham players to keep calm in cauldron of play-final tie with Cardiff City The players also can take their mood for the manager and staff. There is a tension that can be passed on to your players but what has stood me in good stead for many years is about driving the right messages to the players - small, sharp, positive messages of what they have to do. Allardyce is confident the club's preparation has been right this week and is expecting a positive result tonight to take back to Upton Park in a few days time. They've been pretty strong and determined this week. We've kept it fairly low key - some have needed more rest and recovery while others who haven't played as much, have needed more work," he said, writing in his London Evening Standard column. We've also trained at Upton Park rather that the training ground, not just because Chadwell Heath was wet but it was also nice to work in our stadium, our theatre, rather than the place in which they've spent the last 10 months, slogging away. I can't say how our tie will develop because I don't know. All I want to see is that, however the game pans out, we make the most of every situation. If we are in control we have to take full advantage but if Cardiff are having a good spell, we have to be focused enough to sit tight, be resolute, don't concede and see it out - because it will change.