West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has admitted the team must improve after their 2-0 defeat to Everton on Saturday.
The Hammers are still just two points behind Wolves in seventh place, but the performance at the weekend has left Rice questioning whether they will ever grab the opportunity to claim a European spot:
“It’s been an up and down season. We had a bad start, then gained some form and it’s been like that. With the squad we’ve got we should be [aiming for] seventh and every chance we’ve had to move seventh we’ve lost and ruined that opportunity. We need to do better.”
Fans are rather sceptical about Rice’s comments with many angry that players are not putting in the effort to get results recently:
Take off half of their monthly salaries
— Mykola Kanyuk (@Mykola_Kanyuk) 1 April 2019
We were rubbish, and didn’t look like we wanted to play, not even in front of our own fans
— allan speller (@Jaynespel6) 2 April 2019
We don’t have a squad, that much was apparent on Saturday.
— Simon Rattenbury (@Ratters1975) 1 April 2019
The nearest we’ll get to Europe is on the Eurostar.
— Conrad Bunyan (@ConradBunyan) 1 April 2019
This pattern of complacency against any team below us in the table is not acceptable from professional footballers.We should be owning that 7/8 place this season but it will be mid table mediocraty now.
— Andy G (@AndyGra65665023) 1 April 2019
We still have several (5 or 6?) Championship standard players in this squad. And they quite frequently make the starting XI as well.
— Daryl Lewis (@darylwhu) 1 April 2019
“Must do better” says team that couldn’t possibly play any worse.
— Craig (@craigising) 1 April 2019
Problem is Declan too many players currently dont want the responsibility to play that yard faster on push themselves further which is what we lacked on Saturday
— Mark McCarthy (@mark9726) 1 April 2019
Need to rebuild for next seasonneed,and to get rid of 6or7 players bring in young quality and a mixture of proven play makers ,still not a bad season so far have every chance to finish in the top seven
— ROBERT REEVES (@ROBERTR30473578) 1 April 2019
The 2-0 scoreline at the London Stadium belied the dominance of Everton, who could have racked up a fair few more goals with the chances they had.
Rice and his teammates will want to put the wretched display behind them when they face Chelsea next Monday.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side will have nine days to prepare for the London derby, and considering their good form against sides in the top six this season, the Hammers will be expected to put in a much-improved performance at Stamford Bridge.
