Alex Dyer has demanded more from his West Ham United reserve team following Tuesday's goalless draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Hammers went into the game on the back of a 6-0 thumping of Birmingham City a week previously, but were brought back down to earth by a powerful, experienced Wolves side.
The visitors had more than enough chances to pick up all three Barclays Premier Reserve League South points at Bishop's Stortford FC's Woodside Park, and manager Dyer admitted his players will have to improve when they travel to Portsmouth on 29 September.
"I was very pleased with a draw because we were poor. We never passed the ball and never competed in the first half, so I will take a point."
West Ham struggled against a Wolves side including full internationals Segundo Castillo and Sam Vokes, as well as England Under-21 midfielders Michael Kightly and Andrew Surman, and only a combination of poor finishing and resolute defending kept the visitors off the scoresheet.
"The back-four did stay firm, as did the goalkeeper Peter Kurucz, but it was still not good enough. We work hard all week to get the ball down and pass and move, but we didn't show that. We didn't compete, like I think we should do.
"I know they were an experienced side, and, as far as reserve-team level goes, they were a good side. But, it was still not good enough for this club. We want to push on to the next level and the players, every time they come out to play, have got to work hard, and I didn't think that happened, especially in the first half."
Having seen a team containing Valon Behrami, Alessandro Diamanti and Zavon Hines tear Birmingham to shreds the week before, Dyer said the lack of experienced first-team players had affected his team's performance against Wolves.
"I don't think it was complacency. I think it was the fact that we had two-or-three experienced players. Diamanti showed a bit of class, Valon will run through a brick wall for you and Zav, even when he isn't scoring goals, will run up and down, work and put his foot in. That's what you want."