West Ham United defender Pablo Zabaleta has revealed the reasons for the team’s improved form in recent weeks.
The Hammers suffered a dismal start to the season but have seen results pick up of late, punctuated by a 3-1 victory over Manchester United at the London Stadium on Saturday.
And Zabaleta, on a reported £75,000-per-week [Source: Spotrac], has lifted the lid: “Well obviously, when we lost against Wolves in the last minute, there were a few strong words in the dressing room just because we knew that we needed to change,” he told the Daily Star. “We didn’t show intensity and there was a bit of a lack of attitude.
“Even when you know sometimes when there are a few players who came in during the summer, sometimes they need time to settle into the Premier League, the pace of the game and all this, but in this league every game is difficult and you don’t have time and we were not playing in the way we wanted to play.
OPINION
It’s no secret that angry words were exchanged in the London Stadium dressing room after the defeat to Wolves, but no one could have expected the Hammers to turn around their form so dramatically. From three tough games against Everton, Chelsea and Manchester United the club have claimed seven points and scored six goals. That sort of turnaround is remarkable and credit must go to manager Manuel Pellegrini and the players who are starting to implement his strategy. Zabaleta has been one of the key men in the turnaround, showing veteran quality and determination since replacing Ryan Fredericks in the team. He’s right that it takes time for players to gel when so many are signed, and also that it sometimes takes a while for players to adapt to the Premier League. Both of those things contributed to the team’s rough start, but they certainly look back to their best now.
