West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui was pleased with his side’s character as they overcame a poor start to draw 1-1 away to Brentford. (More Football News)
Lopetegui’s sid🌼e were coming off the back of a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in their last leaguღe game and a 5-1 EFL Cup thrashing at Liverpool in midweek.
Bryan Mbuemo’s goal a minute into the encounter could have spelled the worst for the Hammers, but they recovered well and got back on level terms early in the second ꧂half through midfielder Tomas Soucek.
Lopetegui now has something to build upon as his๊ side face a vital match at home to Ipswich Town before the next internationa▨l break, and their overall performance pleased the Spaniard.
He told BBC Sport: “We showed this [Brentford's record of scoring early] to the players and it's incredible we suffered. It's a bad picture to concede s💧o early.
"We kept cal🐎m and I think we deserved to w꧑in the match in the second half, we showed character and commitment.
"We had three or four v🔴ery clear situations to score a second goal but we didn't manage it and we take a point. I have to 🐼keep positive.
"We always have to work as a team or we are weaker - I think we did this in the second h💖alf."
Brentford manager Thomas Frank was content wi𝐆th a point despite again taking the lead early on, as he continues to deal with injuries in♛ the squad.
“It’s a good point,” said ജFrank. “I'm alway𝔍s disappointed if we don't get three. We were the better team for 75 minutes.
"West Ham outpowered us for 15 minutes at the start of the second half. If you take into consideration that we have ni🌳ne first team players out, we had nothing to shoot with.
"What I liked from my team was the mentality. We kep♌t♚ going forward."
Frank could not explain the reason for Brentford netting in the opening minute of three straight games, but he feels it speaks to one of the maꦗin principles of his side.
“I can't te♎ll you [the secret]. It must be a world record, three games in a row under 40 seconds - it's unbelievable," he added.
"We had a plan again, it's a🐓 mindset of playing forward and trying to get on the game straight away. I'm very pleased with thaౠt."
