Declan Rice reckons the Hammers squad is totally ready to restart the season with as tough a match as it gets against Wolves on the 20th.
Declan was involved against Queens Park Rangers in the 4-1 win and was pleased with the way the players performed showing according to some inside class and quality.
Commenting afterwards the defensive midfielder made it clear that the absence of supporters will make life tricky but this is the perfect way to warm up for a season’s end that nobody could possibly have imagined.
Wednesday’s practice match was played in controlled conditions following the Premier League’s Return to Training protocol, with just players, backroom staff and other essential workers present at London Stadium.
“It was really good, first of all to get our first game against proper opposition, as we’d played against ourselves twice, so to play against QPR was a really good test and really good for the team,” Rice told West Ham TV.
“It was definitely good preparation,” he confirmed. “If you look at the stadium we’ve got, it’s unbelievable when we fill it, but now we’re going to be playing with no fans because of the circumstances and it’s going to be odd.
“That’s why these games are put on, to help us get used to it, playing without fans, and we’ve got to adapt now.”
Manager David Moyes has praised his players for the way they have worked, both during and since returning from lockdown, to be in the best possible physical and mental shape and was equally pleased with the performance off the team.
And Rice added: “In fairness to the lads, we’ve all took the time off that we had really seriously and we’ve all kept really fit. The gaffer has had us in doing hard runs and hard stuff with the ball and we’re all raring to go now.
“We’ve got nine tough games and we just want to get back to it and finish the season strongly.”
“We can’t go easy into the nine games – it has to be full throttle now,” he confirmed. “We know the position we’re in and it’s not good enough, so we have to give 100 per cent to achieve the best outcome.
“We know, me and all the players, that we have to give everything to get the win every time we step on the pitch.
“We’ll be ready, no question. Wolves is the first one, then we’ve got Chelsea and Spurs and we’re always up for a derby as it always gives you that extra spurt to go out there and win those games so, when they come, I’m sure we’ll go out there and give them tough games.
“We’ve had some great results in those London games in recent times, so we’ll be ready for everything that comes at us and we’ll go out there and give it everything we’ve got.