- Darren Randolph says West Ham United cannot afford to start slowly against Leicester City on Saturday
- Hammers have conceded the opening goal in five of their last six Premier League matches
- Irishman took no pleasure in saving penalty in the disappointing 3-2 defeat at AFC Bournemouth
Darren Randolph says West Ham United have to start games better if they are to arrest their recent slide in results.
The Hammers have fallen behind in five of their last six Premier League matches, and could have made that six out of six when they conceded an early penalty at AFC Bournemouth. Despite going ahead, West Ham then relinquished their lead and ultimately lost the game 3-2 to make it four without a win ahead of Saturday's visit of Leicester City to London Stadium.
Reflecting on last weekend's disappointment, having watched Josh King miss, the No1 then saved his first penalty doing so for Birmingham City against Derby County three years ago, but he took no pleasure in stopping Benik Afobe's spot-kick as the Hammers were beaten at the Vitality Stadium.
"They missed one penalty, we went up the other end and scored, they missed another penalty, we score two goals and ended up losing the game, which was very frustrating," he observed. "I saved the one right at the end from Jack Wilshere and even then the ball fell right to one of their places and he smashed it in. We lost the game, so it doesn't matter how many saves or penalty saves I make, it just means I kept the score down.
"Obviously we would have been more than happy with a point, because we could have been four or five goals down at half-time, if we're being honest. It was just a frustrating thing with the way it happened.
"It's not only that game but there were other games where we didn't play particularly well in the first half. At Watford, we played better in the second half and got back into the game. The West Brom game, we played better in the second half and drew that game, then obviously lost at Bournemouth at the weekend.
"It's frustrating for everyone because we know what we can produce, but it's just a matter of producing it all the time."
We have to make a conscious effort to start the games better than we have been doing
Darren Randolph
"It's not easy to correct it straight away, but we have to make a conscious effort to start the games better than we have been doing," Randolph observed, before suggesting that opponents have been scouting the Hammers in more detail after they finished seventh on 65 points last season.
"It's been more difficult this year because of how well we did last year, so [opposing] teams have been spending a lot more time preparing for us this year. They know more about our players. It's taken us longer than we would have liked to realise that and to find other ways to combat that."
So, what of Leicester, who arrive at London Stadium on a two-match Premier League winning run and as UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists after a midweek win over Spanish side Sevilla.
"Hopefully they'll be feeling the affects of that tie on Saturday," Randolph continued. "They're coming off the back of two better performances and two good results and it's looking like they've turned the corner, so it'll be interesting on Saturday.
"I don't think Leicester were ever going to repeat what they did last season, this season. I don't think that will ever happen again. It was a one-off season, but they're still a good side and play the way they know they can, with everyone doing their job and what they're capable of doing.
"They're capable of beating any team and they did it every week last year. They beat Liverpool a couple of weeks ago by playing similar to how they were last year, so we have to basically just deal with the physicality and directness of how they play."