West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has told manager Slaven Bilic he must find a way to shore up the leaky defence that is causing West Ham woe.
Sullivan apologised to Hammers supporters following the 3-2 reverse against Premier League champions Leicester City at the London Stadium.
And then he called on Bilic to get to the bottom of the defensive problems that saw the visitors 2-0 up after just seven minutes in yesterday’s top flight encounter.
It meant that West Ham have failed to win any of their previous five league games and after the international break next weekend they go to Hull City and then next to Arsenal.
Sullivan told the club’s website that he was ‘sorry’ to the fans and that he has learned that over his many decades as a supporter, it is never easy being a West Ham United follower and that “we all know that we have to do better”.
He said: “We have to find out why we are conceding so many goals and fix it because it is obviously harder to win games when you concede two or three goals in a game than if you keep a clean sheet.
“To be 2-0 down after seven minutes of any football match, be it in the Premier League or in your local Sunday League, makes it very difficult to get a positive result.”
“In parts of the second half we were very good, but so was their goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who made world-class saves from Andy Carroll. We also had a shot cleared off the line and another good chance which Andre Ayew shot just over the crossbar. But, we need to be good before we are losing!”
Meanwhile, winger Michail Antonio looks set to be withdrawn from the England squad. He played 90 minutes yesertday but Bilic says he suffered a hamstring injury against the Foxes.
Bilic said: “He’s probably going to be withdrawn from the England squad with a hamstring problem. He felt something. He played the whole game but the medical team have told me now. He didn’t limp off though, so we will see tomorrow.”
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