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Robert Green blasts West Ham after another horror show
Ian Whittell23.09.09
Angry Robert Green has lashed out at his West Ham team-mates for getting above themselves after a disappointing 3-1 Carling Cup exit at Bolton last night.
Leading thanks to Herita Ilunga's second-half goal, the Hammers conceded a set-piece equaliser to Kevin Davies in the closing minutes of normal time.
Extra-time goals from Gary Cahill and Johan Elmander —the £10 million striker's first in 22 games for Bolton — dumped Gianfranco Zola's side out of the competition. And England keeper Green, who was outstanding despite West Ham's defensive lapses, believes his team are suffering from a superiority complex.
Green said: “We didn't play any football in the second half and I think we're getting above ourselves, thinking we're better then we are at the moment.
“We're in a position where we have to get results. Like Saturday, we didn't defend well for 90 minutes and didn't take our chances.
“We were sloppy at both ends and you know when you come to Bolton you're going to concede free-kicks and corners and so it proved.
“I think they scored off their 16th corner and with five minutes to go you have to defend properly. We didn't and it cost us.
“We didn't play well enough before or after our goal to kill the game off.”
Life does not get any easier for West Ham, who now face a return to the north-west, where they take on Manchester City and their millionaires on Monday.
That will bring the club face-to-face with Craig Bellamy after the former Hammer escaped FA punishment for pushing a fan in the face during Sunday's stormy Manchester derby.
Despite Bellamy's current reputation as one of the most controversial personalities in the Premier League, Green admits the Hammers still miss the volatile Welshman.
He added: “It's going to be tough. He's a tough opponent and I've played with him over the years and he's quick and dangerous in one-on-one situations.
“He's a quality player and a player, who we'll miss.”
The Hammers have lost three straight L eague and cup games, including Saturday's capitulation to Liverpool.
And Green added: “We're going to be big underdogs and they showed on Sunday what they're capable of and we're going to have buck our ideas up before then to really nail down what we're about.”
Reader views (3)
I couldn't agree more with Green. I am sick and tired of losing in the SAME way to the SAME teams EVERY SINGLE SEASON.
If anyone can honestly tell me that at one nil up with four to go, they did NOT think West Ham would lose 3-1 and Kevin Davies would score (WHY do we not just sign that man??), along of course with the player who hasn't scored for ages (we're like a naffing charity where players like that are concerned), then they deserve to be set in concrete and dumped in the sea.
It's not the poor start to the season that bothers me. Nor is it going out of the cup. I am just fed up to the back teeth and utterly sick and tired of the same old West Ham.
We'll get a point at Citeh now.
- Stu, Beckton
However Gav, it has to be said that West Ham always raise their game against the top 4 then slump against the likes of Bolton who were second to bottom of the Premier League. I think Green is right, they think they are a lot better than they are. It is argued that they are playing better football under Zola than Curbishley although there is little evidence of that recently and certainly not in the results - Which at least Curbs' team fought out against the likes of Bolton. It hard to see who they will beat.
- Paul R, London
'Capitulation to Liverpool'? We lost by the odd goal in an open game of chances at both ends to a side with 50 times our spending power!
- Gav, London
