James Ward-Prowse insists the hard work is underway at Rush Green as West Ham United look to respond to Sunday’s Premier League defeat at the hands of Fulham by overturning a two-goal deficit in Thursday’s UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg clash against Bayer Leverkusen.
Following a 2-0 defeat in the first running of the last-eight tie against Leverkusen in Germany, the Hammers were undone by the same scoreline back on domestic duty at the weekend, with an Andreas Pereira brace earning Fulham the full share of the spoils at London Stadium.
The manner in which both goals were conceded was particularly disappointing according to Ward-Prowse, who acknowledges that Fulham were the more clinical of the two sides on an afternoon where there were a number of chances at either end.
The 29-year-old has featured in 45 of his team’s 47 outings in all competitions so far during 2023/24, but he refuses to blame fatigue for the run of back-to-back losses, and is instead itching to get back on the pitch and turn things around.
“We were all frustrated with how the Fulham game went, because I think we all looked at it as a fixture where we should be trying to get all three points,” Ward-Prowse said.
“We just weren’t at it. We started OK, and had a decent chance early on, but we didn’t take it, and we know how deadly the Premier League can be when that happens.
“They didn’t have to work too hard for their goals, which was disappointing because we’re usually known as a difficult team to beat. We had a decent amount of possession, and chances to score, but we need to be better with the ball and in front of goal.
“I don’t think it was necessarily a hangover from Thursday, though. The games are coming thick and fast, but we’re doing the best job in the world and it’s exciting to know we’re going again in midweek.
“It’s not hard to get yourself up for a European quarter-final, so we just need to utilise the time we’ve got, take what we can from the Fulham game, and do what we need to do to come back stronger.”
Leverkusen are set to arrive in east London as favourites for progression to the Europa League semi-finals, having followed up their first-leg victory by clinching the German Bundesliga title for the first time in the club’s history on Sunday, and stretched their unbeaten run to 43 games in the process.
Ward-Prowse is in bullish mood ahead of the second leg however, and is eager to prolong his and the Irons’ European adventure in what is his first season in Claret and Blue.
He added: “We all know Leverkusen are a good team, but personally I think we showed them a bit too much respect in the first leg, and we didn’t quite pack the punch that I think we can.
“We need to go into Thursday all guns blazing, and we know the first goal is going to be crucial. We have to make sure it’s us who get that goal, and we need to use the occasion and the atmosphere to our advantage.
“These sorts of nights are what I came to West Ham for, and it’s going to be a really special spectacle. Let’s hope we can create some more amazing memories under the lights.”
