West Ham defender Winston Reid has told fans critical of recent performances that they shouldn’t doubt just how hard the players work in training.
The Hammers have lost two Premier League matches on the spin; at home to Chelsea and then at Bournemouth on Saturday, on the back of two draws against West Brom and Watford.
And some supporters have bemoaned the form of Slaven Bilic’s side given that they have taken just two points from a possible 12.
But vice captain Reid reckons the defeats aren’t due to a lack of effort, graft and ambition on the part of the players but conceded that it was an unacceptable performance against the Cherries.
When quizzed further on the desire of Eddie Howe’s side on the day, Reid, speaking to the club’s website ahead of the top flight clash against Leicester City at the London Stadium on Saturday, said:
“No, no, no. I promise you, if you could see the way we have been training, because the fans don’t get to see that. We have been working really hard, the boys are fit, doing a lot of training and everyone is working hard.
“So I think we have been a bit naïve lately in some ways. Bournemouth were in a tough position so they were going to come out of the blocks quick, you know it, it is simple.
“You have to match them. It is not like we are playing different systems, we pretty much matched them up. But in the first half they won all the second balls and when they came forward they were overlapping and everything. We have to work together and work as a unit and if you don’t do that, you get found out.”
Meanwhile despite their recent woes in terms of league form, West Ham United have announced that they had a record first day for season ticket renewals, with 18 per cent of current members securing their seats for next season on the first day they can be renewed.
Hammers supporters can keep their seats throughout the 2017/18 season at the same price as they paid this season after the club froze all season ticket prices.