Pablo Fornals has issued a candid verdict on West Ham’s poor form, with recent results potentially leaving the prospect of Champions League qualification in tatters.
The Lowdown: West Ham in poor form
The Irons failed to secure a much-needed three points on Saturday as they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw against a resurgent Newcastle side, who have won three and drawn three of their last six league games but still lie just outside the relegation zone.
The result was met with audible boos from the home fans at the London Stadium upon the final whistle, with West Ham winning only one of their last five league matches and also incredibly fortunate to avoid an embarrassing FA Cup exit to non-league Kidderminster amid that run.
The Hammers have been reeled in by sixth-placed Arsenal, who now match them on 42 points. Furthermore, Mikel Arteta’s men have three games in hand over Moyes’ side, whilst Wolves and Tottenham also have extra games to play.
The 58-year-old West Ham boss could be fearing the prospect of seeing European football slip through the team’s fingers altogether, with qualifying for the Champions League beginning to seem a farfetched ambition.
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The Latest: Fornals’ verdict
Irons stalwart Pablo Fornals has echoed the frustration felt by the club’s supporters in an interview with club insiders The West Ham Way.
During the interview off the back of the draw against Newcastle, he claimed: “I don’t think we can accept a point as a result. We should win, but in the end, better one point than none.
“We are playing a bit different to the first part of the season, all we have to do is fix it and try to improve together as a team.
However, further comments from the 26-year-old may hint at an inferiority complex in comparison to the club with whom they are battling for European qualification, as Fornals candidly admitted:
“We are the first ones who want to fly everytime, who want to be fighting with the teams at the top, but all of this is new for every one of us.
“It’s a process and I can say this, and this is a truth, that we’re not losing games, so the thing is all of us are disappointed [in recent performances], but at the end of the day it’s better to go home with one point than without.”
The Verdict: Already given up?
Fornals’ comments give off a mixed impression. Firstly, he starts off by saying that West Ham are disappointed with recent results. However, he then claimed that a point is sufficient in certain circumstances, almost providing excuses as to why the team are not performing, claiming that their presence in the top six is ‘new’.
For a team who are pushing for a top-four spot and a second successive season in Europe, this does not seem like a steely winner’s mentality.
However, this has been exacerbated by Moyes’ actions, as the manager has failed to admit that fatigue is not an issue for his team, despite the need for additions in January. All in all, it’s not likely to go down well with a fan base which has already voiced its frustration in recent days.
In other news: Irons set to face ‘big competition’ in pursuit of this transfer target
