Arne Engels has revealed the disappointment inside the West Ham United dressing room before their second-half fightback against Millwall.
The Hammers trailed 2-0 at half-time at The Den before goals from Mohamadou Kanté and Konstantinos Mavropanos rescued a 2-2 Championship draw.
Kanté was subsequently dismissed late in the contest, leaving West Ham to protect their point with ten men. His red card also means the midfielder now faces a suspension following the international break.
Speaking to West Ham’s official website, Engels has now explained what changed at half-time.
Arne Engels reveals West Ham half-time reaction
West Ham had produced a disappointing opening 45 minutes and faced the prospect of losing a fiercely contested London derby.
Engels admitted the mood inside the away dressing room reflected that performance.
“We were really disappointed in the dressing room, and we wanted to show something in the second half, not only for ourselves but also for all the fans that were there,” Engels said.
The response was significant.
West Ham scored twice after the interval to salvage a point, with Engels believing the comeback demonstrated something important about Nuno Espírito Santo’s squad.
“It says a lot about the team, how the mentality is, so overall, it’s a positive feeling,” he added.
The midfielder also reserved praise for the 1,700 travelling supporters at The Den, admitting West Ham wanted to give them something back following the first-half display.
Engels encouraged by West Ham mentality
The Millwall result leaves West Ham with four victories and just one defeat from their opening eight Championship matches.
Engels has quickly established himself as an important member of Nuno’s midfield following his summer arrival from Celtic.
His experience of high-pressure occasions is significant too.
The Belgium international played in nine Old Firm derbies during his time at Celtic and described the atmosphere at The Den as being “up there” with those experiences.
Attention now turns towards the international break before West Ham resume their Championship campaign against Queens Park Rangers on 9 October.
Engels believes the early signs surrounding the squad remain encouraging.
“I think we’re in a good mindset, in a good mentality, that we are ready for the rest of the season,” he said.
West Ham face a demanding run immediately after the break, with the full schedule available in our guide to the Hammers’ next five fixtures.
The challenge for Nuno will be ensuring the mentality Engels praised is accompanied by stronger starts when Championship football resumes.
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