PREMIER LEAGUE Fab call to rule again with an Irons fist
FABIAN BALBUENA has ordered his new West Ham team-mates to start taking control of their matches.
The Hammers have lost all four fixtures in a miserable start to the Premier League campaign.
They have tumbled to Liverpool, Bournemouth, Arsenal and Wolves in their last outing before the international break.
Those defeats have not made life easy for new boss Manuel Pellegrini and a revamped squad on which £100million was lavished in the summer.
And it is the last thing they needed ahead of today’s trip to Everton, with home games against Chelsea and Manchester United up next.
Paraguayan defender Balbuena, one of 10 new signings brought into the London Stadium, is well aware that things could get worse – much worse – before they get better.
But he is adamant that things will start to improve if his side can get on the ball more.
Harmony
Balbuena, signed for £3.5million from Brazilian side Corinthians, said: “We are not able to have the possession we want to and we need to be better at that.
“If we do get it then we will have more chances to manage the flow of the game and be more dangerous.
“These first few months working with Manuel Pellegrini have been very good.
“We are still learning from his experience and we hope that the work we did throughout the pre-season and what we do now can give us the results.
“Those of us who remained during the international break have worked very well.
“We have continued to do the same things with a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of harmony.
“And always with the intention of raising the performance of the team with the team-mates who have just joined.
“We have been working during the week towards getting a victory against Everton.”
Balbuena is expecting a real battle against at Goodison. The Blues, in contrast to the Hammers, are unbeaten, albeit having won one and drawn three of their league fixtures.
Balbuena added: “I have seen several of their matches, they have started quite well.
Weapons
“New players who have arrived are playing well already. We will have to play to our strengths, and I hope we can be victorious.
“They have good reserve players who can step into the team and perform in the same way as those who are there already.
“But we do not think about that, we try to improve what we have been doing, demonstrate it on the pitch and get good results, which is the most important thing.”
Manager Pellegrini agrees with Balbuena‘s assessment that the Hammers are allowing teams to dominate them far too easily.
The Uruguayan coach said: “We are losing too many balls during the games. Having good possession allows you to rest and the physical work allows you to create space a little bit more.
“In defending, I think we are improving a lot.
“But if you compare the first game against Liverpool to our last game we are improving.”
Asked about Balbuena, he said: “He was one of he players I asked to bring here.
“He came from the biggest team in Brazil and knows what it is like when you have to win.
“That is very important for me.”