Declan Rice is finding it as impossible as anyone to understand yesterday’s performance in Wales but has explained how Cardiff made life very difficult for the Irons.
Discussing the game on www.whufc.com the defensive midfielder said: “It’s very, very disappointing and seems like the common theme, to be honest. We come away to these clubs who are down the bottom of the table and we get beat.
“It happened at Bournemouth, it happened at Burnley and these are all great chances that we’ve had to move up towards seventh and it was the same on Saturday.
“It wasn’t meant to be and I’m gutted because it was a poor performance.”
“Cardiff were well set up and the way they play is with a man-marking system, so they literally follow you all over the pitch and it was tough to get on the ball, make space and make movements.
“In the second half, obviously I hit the post and we maybe could have had a few more chances, but it was a poor day at the office and we didn’t do enough and they did.”
“It’s impossible to start a Premier League game like that,” Rice confirmed. “It happened against Fulham and it’s happened a couple of times this season where we’ve conceded an early goal and that’s never good because then you’re chasing the game when you want to have a foothold in the game and you want to be controlling it.
“They went about their business, they got their two goals and the three points and it wasn’t good enough from us and we haven’t got the three points.
“To be fair, I didn’t think we were complacent. They were just really tough to play against and difficult to break down, but we need to put the stuff we’re working on in training into action, because I don’t think we showed enough of it.”
“I think we need make our home at London Stadium a fortress. We’ve had a great start there in 2019.
“Huddersfield lost on Saturday but we need to go back home next week, put in a performance and get a major three points for our season.”
ClaretandHugh says: Trotting players out after defeats such as this is understandable but sadly counter-productive as far as the club’s media department is concerned. Understandable because clubs these days have a near monopoly on the squad and like to make the most of it, counter productive because in reality there is absolutely nothing positive they can say. This time it was poor old Declan’s form.’Poor old Declan’ because he as usual was one of the better performers who sadly had to find some answers for a team that was way off its best and he indicates, operating way below their best. Not an easy shout. His explanation that by adopting a man marking system, life became more difficult but not really acceptable when we have players of slair and ability who should be able to shrug off those attentions. It truly is time that lessons are learned and such events as we have seen at Burnley here and the other games he mentions are sorted – words aren’t going to hack that!
Declan Rice and Fabianski performed well yesterday. Ogbonna and Diop were OK. Arnautovic and Antonio added some energy and muscle when they came on. Cheatarito lived up to his name. Anderson was totally ineffective. The rest were poor.
Above all, we didn’t seem to have a game plan. What were we trying to do to the opposition? It wasn’t obvious. Fredericks, for example, didn’t seem to know what to do when in possession. Zabaleta for me next time. Cardiff marked up and showed good energy but they weren’t world-beaters. We didn’t have any answers yet again against a team who can battle – we need more steel in our team. We would struggle in the Championship!
I believe there are 2 West Ham teams,one that can take on the top 6 and the other that feebly allow the bottom teams to embarrass us.Pelle knows that if we are to challenge the top teams we have to improve the quality of some of the players.Yes,Cardiff made it difficult for us but they do the same with the top 6 teams but they always find a way to win.We need to clear the dead wood from the squad and get the David’s to back us again.
Simply not good enough , not even the effort and energy , you alwYs have to match the energy levels of the other team . Once again we loose a game we should win , the players need to want to fight for the shirt . I expect better and certainly the mentality has to improve dramatically !
Agree with comments we were outworked and poor in the final third. We had 71% possession pointless if you can’t open a team up with it. We need to open spaces in their defence the 1 2 is the way that works for most teams.
No use trotting out the cliche about we need to make our home a fortress dec if the problem lies away from home.