Manuel Pellegrini has backed Pablo Fornals to come good as he continues to adapt to the demands of Premier League football.
The Spanish midfielder started Saturday’s 2-0 Premier League defeat at Everton, playing the opening 63 minutes in place of the rested Andriy Yarmolenko before being replaced by Jack Wilshere.
When asked if he has been happy with the contribution made by the former Villarreal star, the manager backed the No18 to grow into English football as he becomes more used to the pace and physicality of the game in this country.
It is normal for a player that comes from another league to have some months to adapt to the different kind of games
Manuel Pellegrini
"It is normal for a player that comes from another league to have some months to adapt to the different kind of games, different pace from the Spanish league,” he observed.
"I am happy with him. As a manager, I am regretting missing the three points against Crystal Palace at home more.”
Reflecting in more depth on a game decided by a goal in either half from Bernard and Gylfi Sigurdsson, Pellegrini refused to blame individuals for his side’s disappointing display, instead suggesting the whole team did not perform to the required level.
West Ham have now not won in four Premier League matches and will seek to put things right in back-to-back home fixtures against Sheffield United and Newcastle United.
"Maybe the result was not so terrible but two games in a row, two defeats in a row, two games with dropped points, only two points from the last 12,” he continued. "It is not just about [the absent, injured Aaron] Cresswell or Fornals or one player, as a team we need to return to the way we played a couple of weeks ago.
"If I could have changed all 11 then maybe I would have done that because in the first half we did not shoot once, Everton dominated, had six or seven corners, scored and hit the post.
"We improved a little but more in the second half, had chances to score but it is a game we need to be very clear in what we need to improve and be the team that we were a couple of weeks ago."
