West Ham United players during training at the London Stadium, yesterday.
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But Bilic shrugged off suggestions that West Ham could struggle to adapt to their new ground after their switch from Upton Park – enabling Domzale to complete the upset.
This first game at the new stadium has come a little earlier than West Ham would have liked.
He added: “The pitch is the same and you have to prove it. The stadium brings so many advantages and everybody is buzzing, blah, blah, blah”.
A near sell-out 54,000 crowd is expected in Stratford this evening as Slaven Bilic looks to keep the pre-season optimism flowing unlike a year ago when the Hammers surrendered their European spot in the Croat’s first weeks in charge.
Arsenal and Southampton both took time to find their feet after their moves to the Emirates and St Mary’s respectively.
He said: “For the club and for me personally, we need to play in Europe and have a decent run”.
“It is our new home and I’m sure everyone’s been looking forward to it for a while now”.
“It doesn’t feel like a home game, it can’t feel like that but it’s not an away game also”, Bilic told British media.
“We don’t have a mountain to climb, but we have a job to do against a team who showed us they can play good football”.
Jordan’s club Aston Villa have reportedly already began talks with West Ham over a potential £8m move while Andre’s Swansea are rumoured to be willing to part with the player for a handsome £16m fee.
Bilic would not be drawn on new arrivals despite the club being linked with a new left-back given Aaron Cresswell’s knee injury.
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“Even before Cresswell got injured, we were looking to strengthen at left-back, ” he said.
