Manuel Pellegrini is determined to get to the root of West Ham’s inconsistent performances.
The Hammers have taken points from Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United this season while slipping to defeats at Brighton, Burnley, Bournemouth and, last weekend, lowly Cardiff.
West Ham face another struggling team, Huddersfield, on Saturday with Pellegrini demanding they raise their game to the same level as when they take on the Premier League’s big guns.
“This is a big team,” said the Hammers boss. “From the first day that I arrived here, when you have a team or club that plays with 60,000 people behind you every game, it is because it is a big team.
“We are trying to improve our squad, we are going to try to improve the way we play, our mentality, our ambitious minds. Of course we continue with the same work about that, because you never give up.
“When you play against big teams you can demonstrate that you are able to do it.
“After that you must be a solid and consistent team and understand that every game will be why you have a successful or unsuccessful season.
“The mentality must be that you can improve every week, in every training session and it’s what we are trying to do this season.”
Pellegrini is set to shake up his starting line-up following a hugely disappointing display at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Marko Arnautovic will be summoned from the naughty step, the Austrian forward having been consigned to the bench since January following his attempt to secure a move to China, while defender Fabian Balbuena also returns.
“You ask a manager, they are always thinking of different options for different games,” added Pellegrini.
“When you win you were 100 per cent clear and right on your decision. When you don’t win you did it all wrong.
“Maybe it was the best way for me to start with the same starting XI that beat Newcastle. After that when you finish the game you say ‘why did I do that?’ but we are making the analysis we need.”
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