'We deserved more' - West Ham head coach believes next win is 'very close' following Brentford draw
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Julen Lopetegui believes his side ‘deserve more’ and are agonisingly close to securing their next win after coming back to draw 1-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium today (Saturday 28 September).
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Hide AdBrentford once again scored in rapid time with Bryan Mbeumo firing past Alphonse Areola to open up the scoring but Tomas Soucek was able to balance the books shortly after the restart to provide Lopetegui and West Ham with a much needed point.
Speaking to the media after the whistle, the Spanish head coach said of Mbeumo’s opening goal: “We knew they put this kind of rhythm in the start. They did it two times in the last two matches.
“But after this, we had the character and the personality to balance the match. In the second half in my opinion we were better, we had the opportunity to win the match and we draw in a very bad situation.
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Hide Ad“In the start we had good personality and good character to change the match, and to be able to win , we had four or five very clear situations and we didn’t do. (But we had) good reaction, good behaviour and second half we worked as a team which for me are very important things.”
One decision taken at half time was to replace Ghana star Mohammed Kudus on the wing with Paris Saint-Germain loanee Carlos Soler. It felt a bizarre substitution given how well the left-winger had been playing with many speculating as to whether Kudus had sustained an injury.
However, Lopetegui confirmed that the decision was indeed tactical and believed Soler was able to offer something different.
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Hide Ad“(It was) a tactical decision,” the ex-Wolves coach stated. “(Kudus and Emerson Palmieri) did very well for the team. I was thinking it was better for the team. I was thinking ‘you need this in the match’.”
When asked whether he was satisfied with taking home the singular point, the Irons boss admitted: “We wanted the three points, to be honest in the second half we deserved the three points. We should have doubled.
“But I highlight the behaviour in the second half, I feel we put in the pitch what the match needed. We worked as a team and it’s the only way you have to win matches in the Premier League.
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Hide Ad“I would like to win the three points today but we didn’t do it so we have to look forward to the next match,” Lopetegui continued. “We know we have to do better at home.
“Against Aston Villa and City, being honest we deserved more, and against Chelsea - it was my fault, I see that. I think we have to look forward to the next match against Ipswich because it’s a big challenge and we want to win this match for sure.”
Of course, with only five points taken from a possible 18, the time had come to ponder as to how both the players and fans were contending with the results. However, Lopetegui firmly believes the Irons fanbase are behind him and he is ready to deliver the goods as soon as possible.
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Hide Ad“I feel I have the support of the fans always, today to”, Lopetegui said. “Today has been very important - keeping us in the bad moments. It’s a pity we don’t win the three points but at least we were able to achieve on point and finish the match deserving more.
“I feel they support, always but all of us we want more and we’re going to work to get more. We have time to achieve more things.”
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