West Ham’s Declan Rice claims that confidence is now very high in The Hammers’ camp after their recent run of form.
Manuel Pellegrini’s team have won their last four league games and have climbed up to 9th in the Premier League as a result.
They have scored 11 goals and conceded only three in that period.
“The confidence is flying, everything is going up a notch – the standards in training, the tempo of things.’’ Rice told Sky Sports.
“Even in games now, we’re going into games thinking ‘we’re going to score goals and get chances, we’re not going to concede’ and that’s the confidence you need in the Premier League.”
West Ham made a slow start to the season but things have clearly improved in recent weeks. Players like Felipe Anderson, Robert Snodgrass and Javier Hernandez have hit a rich vein of form.
Rice, himself, has started 14 league games under Pellegrini and seems to be one of the Chilean manager’s first-choice picks for the central midfield position.
Still only 19, Rice has plenty of developing to do and under an established and vastly experienced coach like Pellegrini he will have a far greater chance of realising his full potential.