Valon Behrami insists West Ham will have to sort their heads out if
they are to stand any chance of avoiding relegation this season.
The Hammers slipped closer to the danger zone on Saturday
after a 2-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Bolton.
Behrami described the Hammers' performance as one of the
poorest he can recall since Gianfranco Zola took over as manager.
To make matters worse, West Ham now have back-to-back away
games at Chelsea and then Arsenal.
Behrami maintained the Hammers are capable of producing
"something special" to avoid the drop - but he demanded a change of
attitude.
"It was deeply disappointing for us (against Bolton). It was
one of our worst games with Mr Zola in the last two years. We lost
a big chance," said Behrami.
"If you look at the statistics, we run more than other teams
- but the big thing is our mentality. So it is on our mind and our
attitude.
"When you make technical mistakes you can work on them. Easy.
You just keep working hard.
"But the problem is bigger when it is mental. It is very
difficult to work on that. Time is running short. We have to change
something as the situation now is not good for us.
"We can do something special but we have to all play 100%.
Every player needs to give 100% mentally and physically. That is
not so easy. If only one player gives 80% we can't win the game."
"It was already hard and now it will be harder still."
The statistics back up Behrami's point about a side lacking
mental toughness. West Ham have not won a Premier League match all
season in which they have conceded the first goal.
West Ham's best performance in that situation was rallying
from 2-0 down to draw with Arsenal but they have now lost the other
12.
At the weekend, Bolton were 2-0 up inside 16 minutes and Zola
knows the Hammers cannot afford to make another sluggish start at
Stamford Bridge.
"It's been a season when we haven't got going as well as we
would have wanted. That is the thing that frustrates me most," said
Zola.
"The Bolton game is going to be a big lesson for everybody in
that respect.
"We need to get some points away from home."
Zola agreed with Behrami that West Ham will not head into
their successive London derbies without any hope at all.
"They are big, big teams and big games. No-one is expecting
anything from us but football is strange," said Zola.
"Last year, we got a point in both games so I am not going to
go there already beaten because I know football can have
surprises."
