Cole backs Allardyce

West Ham striker Carlton Cole insists the players are to blame for their side's poor form, not manager Sam Allardyce.

Striker defends 'inspirational' West Ham manager

West Ham striker Carlton Cole insists the players are to blame for their side's poor form, not manager Sam Allardyce. The Hammers were top of the Championship in January but are now six points adrift of the automatic promotion places having taken just six points from seven games at home. But Cole is quick to defend his boss and still believes his side can clinch top-flight football for next season. "We know our home form needed to be addressed earlier in the season and it hasn't worked out the way it should have for us," he told reporters.

Blame

"We can't blame the fans. All we can do is blame ourselves as players, not even the manager can we blame. "The manager is inspirational. He wants us to do well and he needs us to do well. "He is very direct with everything he does with you. If you're not doing a job, he'll address it. "He wants a style of play and we'll stick by it. "We went through a little dry patch, you do go through rough points of form but we're all scoring now."