West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen slammed his side’s performance as “not good enough” as they slipped further into relegation trouble with a 2-1 defeat at Leeds.
The visitors were 2-0 down within 15 minutes through goals from Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon and failed to recover from that poor start, with Matheus Fernandes’ goal in added time not enough to stop a seventh Premier League defeat of the season.
As ever, skipper Bowen was one of the Irons’ few bright sparks and he called on his team to show more after some hapless defending leading to the two early goals.
He told Sky Sports: “Obviously not good enough. We started well against Brentford and we wanted to do similar.
“But the way we defende the goal was nearly poor. Then we nearly get back into it, the keeper makes a good save from my attempt and then from a corner again.
“It’s just not brave enough, not doing the jobs good enough until the end.
“We get a goal back, it’s disallowed. It always felt like one goal and you always get a bit of confidence when you score.
“We did that, it was too late. Not good enough.”
Bowen: ‘We have to accept we’re in trouble now’
West Ham are only three games into Nuno Espirito Santo’s reign but the mood continues to sour at the club, with Bowen admitting the mood is low in the dressing room.
He added: “There could be a lot of reasons why. But the dressing room when you’re second-bottom of the league and won one game all season is low.
“I’ve said for a few weeks now coming out and doing interviews: the only way this is going to change is if players step up, roll their sleeves up and get ready for the fight.
“We need more of that week in, week out. When things aren’t going so well, it’s easy to hide and be scared but as easy it is to say, it’s hard to do. We have to do that, that’s my only mindset.
“And that’s what I’ve been saying to the players: roll your sleeves up and dig in, because nobody is going to give this to us.
“This is the Premier League and we need to really pull our finger out. As we’re in a real situation. We have to face the reality of that, the sooner it starts hitting everyone, it needs to change.
“You can’t come out here and say anything different. You can’t say anything positive or anything in that way. You have to face the reality of where we are: second-bottom and we’re in trouble now. We have to accept that.”
Rodon: Momentum key in relegation fight
Leeds’ impressive first season back in the Premier League continued on Friday night, as they climbed up to 13th – six points clear of the relegation zone.
Rodon headed home Leeds’ second goal early on and the defender was delighted with how the hosts responded to last weekend’s difficult 2-0 loss against fellow promoted side Burnley.
The defender told Sky Sports: “It was important to show a reaction after last weekend. We weren’t happy with last weekend and we came out the traps early. I thought the boys showed grat intensity
“Everything is difficult in this league. We’ve learnt that especially with the dying moments. Frustrated to concede at the end but happy with the three points.
“Everyone has seen the home support is amazing. It is important to keep the momentum. Delighted to get back to winning ways.”
