SLAVEN BILIC IS still “fuming” after West Ham’s shock 4-1 home defeat to Swansea City and called on his players to produce an immediate response against Manchester United tomorrow evening.
The last match at Upton Park will see Louis van Gaal’s Champions League-chasing side visit east London as Bilic’s men look to end a positive campaign with a European place.
Saturday’s heavy loss to Swansea was West Ham’s first in the Premier League for 11 matches and left them seventh in the table, just one point ahead of Liverpool, one point behind sixth-placed Southampton and four behind United in fifth.
“Make no mistake, I’m crazy, I’m fuming, more angry than disappointed,” Bilic said at his pre-match media conference.
You are disappointed when you do everything and it doesn’t work out for you but we didn’t do what we had to do and that makes me more angry.
“It’s important we play much better Tuesday night than we did against Swansea.
“I’m not talking about the finishing product because that depends on the day or your inspiration. I’m talking about the basic things which were missing.
“OK, you have to give credit to Swansea but for most of the games this season that we lost, it was because we were not doing those simple, basic things. We can’t afford not to do those basics in any game but especially against Manchester United, who have the class and quality to kill you.”
Boleyn inspiration
As for the symbolism of the occasion, he added: “I don’t think our players are thinking much about that in a negative way. I think they will approach Tuesday night like it is a privilege to play the last game ever to be played at the Boleyn Ground.
“It should be an inspiration and I think it will be an inspiration.”
Former West Ham player Bilic says he will miss managing at Upton Park from next season when the club moves to the Olympic Stadium, where they have sold all 50,000 available season tickets.
He added: “I like the connection. I’m going to miss this stadium a lot. No matter how the new one is going to be – newer, better and more fancy.
“This is like a fortress. It’s going to be not hard but impossible to replicate this kind of atmosphere. I wish we can and I wish we will but there’s no chance. It’s going to be different.”
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