- Slaven Bilic agrees with Joint-Chairman's comments about West Ham United's defeat at AFC Bournemouth
- David Sullivan had stated in his whufc.com that the team 'have to do better'
- Manager says Saturday's visit of Leicester City to London Stadium is a 'very important' fixture
Slaven Bilic has agreed with Joint-Chairman David Sullivan’s assessment that West Ham United’s performance in losing 3-2 at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday was not good enough.
The Hammers produced their worst defensive display in some time to go down to a disappointing Premier League defeat at the Vitality Stadium, where Cherries striker Joshua King bagged a hat-trick and the home team also missed two penalties.
Despite their frailties, West Ham looked on course to earn a point when Andre Ayew equalised with seven minutes to go, only for Bournemouth to nick possession, swarm forward, outnumber the Hammers in their own penalty area and score the winner in the final minute of the 90.
“It was a comment for that game and for that game I said also that we could not be happy with the way we performed or the way we conceded all three of their goals, especially the last one,” said the manager, when asked about the Joint-Chairman’s comments in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s visit of Leicester City to London Stadium.
“Of course we have to improve and we have to bounce back. I am the first who wasn’t happy with that performance and the players know that. They were not happy after the game in the dressing room, of course, they were gutted and disappointed and frustrated and they know that we didn’t do well enough in that game.
“We played against a good opponent, of course, but when they missed the penalty and we scored the goal, we were basically in the ideal position to build on that early result, and we let it slip away from us. Then we came back and we conceded at the end of the game a very naïve goal from our point of view.
“We have a game against Leicester now and we have to bounce back and we are ready for that.”
It was a comment for that game and for that game I said also that we could not be happy with the way we performed or the way we conceded all three of their goals, especially the last one
Slaven Bilic
Having lost just one of their previous six Premier League games, the Hammers were beaten by leaders Chelsea in their last home game before Saturday’s reverse at Bournemouth.
With those two setbacks in mind, Bilic is eager for his team to ensure that losing run is not extended when they welcome the champions and UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists to London Stadium for the first time.
“It is very important for us,” he said, when asked about the visit of the in-form Foxes. “We had turned the corner but, as I was saying, it’s not finished because there are so many points and things to fight for between now and the end of the season.
“We only have one win in six and this is a good opportunity because we are under pressure and we have to win the game. We believe that we can win the game and we’re going to do everything to win it.”