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West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen criticized his team’s performance as “not good enough” as they got further into relegation trouble with a 2-1 defeat at Leeds.
The visitors trailed 2-0 inside 15 minutes thanks to goals from Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon and failed to recover from that poor start, with Matheus Fernandes’ added-time goal not enough to stop a seventh Premier League defeat of the season.
As always, captain Bowen was one of the Irons’ few bright sparks and called on his team to show more after some unfortunate defending led to the first two goals.
He told Sky Sports: “It’s obviously not good enough. “We started well against Brentford and we wanted to do the same.
“But the way we defended the goal was almost poor. Then we almost went back in, the goalkeeper saved my attempt well and then again at a corner.
“It’s just not brave enough to not do the job well enough to the end.
“We conceded a goal, but it was disallowed. It always felt like a goal and you always get a little bit of confidence when you score.
“We did it, but it was too late. It wasn’t good enough.”
Bowen: “We have to accept that we are in trouble now”
West Ham are just three games into Nuno Espirito Santo’s reign but spirits remain sour at the club, with Bowen admitting spirits are low in the dressing room.
And he added: “There may be many reasons for this. But the locker room when you are second to last in the league and win one game all season is low.
“I’ve been saying it for a few weeks going out and doing interviews: the only way this is going to change is if the players step up, roll up their sleeves and get ready to fight.
“We need more of that week in and week out. When things aren’t going so well, it’s easy to hide and be afraid, but as easy as it is to say, it’s hard to do. We have to do that, that’s my only way of thinking.
“And that’s what I’ve been telling the players: roll up your sleeves and work, because no one is going to give us this.
“This is the Premier League and we really need to put the finger on it. As we are in a real situation. We have to face the reality of that, the sooner it starts to affect everyone, it needs to change.
“You can’t come out here and say something different. You can’t say anything positive or anything like that. You have to face the reality of where we are: in second place and now we’re in trouble. We have to accept that.”
Rodón: momentum is key in the fight for relegation
Leeds’ impressive first season in the Premier League continued on Friday night, rising to 13th place, six points clear of the relegation zone.
Rodon headed Leeds’ second goal early on and the defender was delighted with the way the hosts responded to last weekend’s difficult 2-0 defeat against fellow promoted Burnley.
The defender told Sky Sports: “It was important to show a reaction after last weekend. We were not happy with last weekend and we came out of the traps early. I thought the boys showed great intensity.”
“Everything is difficult in this league. We have learned it especially in the last moments. Frustrated by conceding the goal at the end but happy with the three points.”
“Everyone has seen that the local support is incredible. It is important to keep the momentum going. I am delighted to get back to winning ways.”
