On Friday afternoon, West Ham released an official statement responding to the actions of the gentlemen involved. They don’t even need a goal, just a tackle.
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But Astra were content to slow the game down and frustrate them at every turn, and when they did go forward, they continued to look risky.
Slaven Bilic has defended fans who booed his West Ham side off the park at half time during their Europa League exit to Astra Giurgiu and has urged his players to show more passion on the pitch.
West Ham went on to lose the game 1-0 (1-2 agg) and were subsequently knocked out by Astra Giurgiu for a second successive year. “There was not enough movement, we played very slowly and we didn’t take the chances we should have taken”.
“We wanted to play in Europe, we came so close and we wanted to have that experience as a club, a club that is not often in Europe”.
Simone Zaza is set to on loan from Juventus with a view to a permanent move that could be worth £24million to help ease Bilic’s problems up front, however, the Italian, nor new midfielder Edimilson Fernandes, will be available for the clash at the Etihad Stadium.
Losing is the best thing that could have happened for West Ham.
“It is a huge frustration because I said before the game that this was one of the most important games of the year for us”.
The Europa League can be a distraction for teams aiming to finish in the top four of the Premier League or trying to win the title.
Taking the game to Astra was an option in the first half but it was a necessity in the second and Enner Valencia replaced Havard Nordveit as West Ham went with two forwards. That was why we tried so hard last season, to have this opportunity.We had an active result in Romania, not job done but not a mountain to climb, so it was all there apart from the main thing, which was the performance.
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Bilic will hope that the midfield players he has missed so badly are soon back on the pitch – if not at Manchester City on Sunday, then straight after the worldwide break.
