West Ham are on a six-game unbeaten run, they have won their last four in all competitions and have conceded just one goal in 2021, yet there is 'more to come'.
That is according to first-team coach Stuart Pearce. Speaking to talkSPORT following The Hammer 2-1 win over West Brom on Tuesday evening.
“The manager’s pleased with the results, we all are, and the endeavour the players are putting in is fantastic,” said Pearce, "But we feel as though we’re seeing a little bit more, maybe, on the training pitch than we’re seeing on matchdays. We feel like they’ve got even more to give – the standards that they can reach are probably higher than where we’re at at this moment in time.
“Don’t get me wrong – winning matches in the Premier League is never easy. We’re delighted with that, the results and the way it’s gone.
“The attitude of the players is absolutely sensational – the work ethic and how they want to learn and progress their careers individually and collectively – but we honestly feel as though there are better performances there.”
West Ham beat the Baggies courtesy of a first-half Jarrod Bowen goal and the winner from Michail Antonio after 66 minutes. Pearce has a long history of working with Antonio:
"I signed Mich at Nottingham Forest seven years ago, so I knew the boy we took from Sheffield Wednesday then,” Pearce said.
“Since then, and even since I’ve come back into the Club this time, his hold-up play has improved drastically. It startled me because that was an area of his play we felt he could improve on [then] – and he still can – but I think his hold-up play and his understanding of his runs has improved drastically.
“I think at the moment he’s still got to get into the groove that he had pre-injury – there’s certainly more to come. He’s got to improve his all-round game from that, but I think MIch as well wants to push his limits to see how good he can be.”
Manager David Moyes said after the West Brom win that he and the players were disappointed with the performance but pleased and that he was looking up the table not down.
Pearce echoed his boss' comments:
"The one thing I can assure you of is that Moyesie will be pushing the team to give their maximum right to the end, and he’ll be not satisfied with whatever position we’re in at any given time – he’ll want more.
“I think that’s rightly so, because we’ve got a squad of players that can really push themselves – and improve.”
Speaking to the On The Judy podcast Antonio revealed how in Moyes' first term in charge he was disciplined for his poor time-keeping with his punishment being individual training with Pearce.
The solo sessions seemed to have done the trick. Moyes has been so impressed with his striker since his return from injury that he described Antonio as a 'ruthless striker' following his second winner in four days for the club.
