After a disappointing week for West Ham United, Slaven Bilic spoke to the media. The Hammers were favourites going into Wednesday’s FA cup quarter final but lost to a weak Manchester United side. It wasn’t the Hammers day and the last FA cup game at Upton Park didn’t go according to plan.
This is what the gaffer had to say when he was asked about the match.
It was a huge disappointment because we wanted to go to Wembley and then go on and win the cup.
However, Bilic is taking it as a positive and now looks to finish comfortably in the top six. West Ham have nothing to lose now, and just need to concentrate through these last six games.
We want to finish high and we are motivated to do that in our final six games, starting at Leicester on Sunday.
We need points to finish high in the table. Do we need to win on Sunday to qualify for the Champions League? Well, we know we need points if we are to finish high.
Bilic also updated the fans with some encouraging team news. Sam Byram and Winston Reid are returning to the squad after being sidelined due to injuries.
With two defenders returning to the squad, Bilic will have the task of deciding who is best suited to face the strong, counter attacking Leicester team.
It’s hard to play them because obviously they are winning games 1-0 or whatever. They are very patient and their transition is unbelievable, offensively or defensively.
They are playing simple football, but they have players who are capable of counter-attacking, beating three or four players in a tight space, and they are great on set pieces. They are very hard to beat.
Lastly, he spoke about PFA player of the year and how happy he is for Dimitri Payet for getting nominated.
It’s a great thing for him and it’s great for the club, because it proves that we’re playing well and having a good season. He made, as I have said so many times and everybody agrees, a great impact not only for West Ham but for the league. He deserves it.
But if Dimitri doesn’t win it, who does Bilic think should?
Hopefully he’s going to win it, but if not him, it has to be connected with something your club has achieved and done, so if Leicester win the league it should probably be Vardy.
