Slaven Bilic says West Ham are facing 'three cup finals'
Tuesday 20 September 2016 11:07, UK
Slaven Bilic says West Ham are facing three "mega games" as they aim to kick-start their season following four straight defeats.
Bilic's side have shipped 11 goals in their past three Premier League games, while a 1-0 home defeat to Astra Giurgiu saw them eliminated from the Europa league by the same Romanian opponents for the second year running.
Wednesday night's EFL Cup tie against Accrington is the first of three straight home games leading up to the international break and, while the move to Stratford has been marred by in-fighting among sections of the Hammers' support, Bilic sees the run as an opportunity to get going.
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"I'm not happy," he said on the eve of the Accrington game. "The boys know that, we spoke after every game. The boys have to show a reaction.
"We've had a couple of poor results after the international break, conceded eight goals in two games. It's put us in a situation that isn't pleasant.
"You can get in trouble quickly but can get out of it quickly. We have three mega games before the break now, three cup finals."
Southampton and Middlesbrough visit east London in the next 10 days, and Bilic is demanding more consistent displays despite the difficulty of integrating nine summer signings from eight different leagues.
"It's not an excuse but it's a reason," he said. "The reality is we are not happy with performances or results. We can't say we were unlucky. We need to start being consistent."
West Ham finished seventh in Bilic's first season, and the boss has been promised a new deal in January if he has proved by then he is "not a one-season wonder".
"I haven't spoken to the chairman about a new contract," he said on Tuesday. "I didn't in March when he mentioned I would be offered a new one in January, not in April or May or the summer either.
"I'm totally concentrated on training and games. I don't like to talk about it, I look at the job as though my contract is my next couple of games - that's the way I've always been and that's the way I am now."
A new contract for teenage prospect Reece Oxford is a more pressing concern, and Bilic is hopeful the England youth player will sign up.
He said: "I think he has a few examples of players who have had a great career starting at West Ham: Rio Ferdinand is very similar to him, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Jermain Defoe, Michael Carrick - at his age they went on loan, then came back and played and became regular players, then got to world-class status.
"I know he hasn't signed, his representatives are talking to the club and hopefully it will be sorted soon in a good way."
