"In the week they have responded well in training and I have said that all season when we have played poorly on a Saturday," he explains.
"You can't really fault their commitment; it is just when they cross that white line, perhaps it is nerves and expectation that kicks in and they end up making wrong choices and can look poor players because their final pass or cross is poor.
"And the pitch is not the greatest; it is bobbly and it is difficult enough when you have got a great pitch and things are not going well for you.
"When it is not good and you are nervous you take two or three touches when you would normally play off the cuff.
"That makes it a bit more tentative, there is no doubt about that, and when they cross the white line we have not done it anywhere near as often as we would like - we have to see a big improvement on that.
"With the big support West Ham have - 35,000 people coming to see us in this league, never mind the Premiership - we have to do it.
"But names don't mean anything, they have got to put the performances on the pitch.
"I am sick of people saying 'such and such is a big club' - the big clubs are judged on where they are, and this club is no different.
"We know the expectation and I would rather have big expectations that be at a club where there aren't any."