London City boss Maestre expecting tough game against ‘dangerous’ West Ham | OneFootball

London City Lionesses head coach Eder Maestre says that this weekend’s opponents West Ham United will be very dangerous given the fact that they are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the Barclays Women’s Super League table.

The Pride travel to The Chigwell Construction Stadium to face The Hammers on Sunday afternoon.

West Ham United are just three points clear of bottom club Leicester City but London City Lionesses boss Maestre is expecting to face team that are full of fight and energy.

“We need to understand that West Ham are in a complicated situation, they are fighting to stay in the league,” Maestre said when speaking in the pre-match press conference. “I think these kind of teams in this moment of the season are the most dangerous because when you are fighting, the energy to reach your goals can be higher.

“They recently got a goalless draw against Manchester United, so they have shown that they are able to have really good games against top teams as well. They are very capable of being dangerous.”

London City Lionesses recorded an impressive 1-1 draw with Chelsea last time out and Maestre now wants to see his side show their qualities when facing a team at the opposite end of the table.

He said “West Ham are a tough team to play against because they are comfortable playing in a low block. They try to keep the spaces tight around the box and they are very compact. They have very dangerous players on the counter attack. It’ll be a tough game. 

“We’ve come from a good game against Chelsea. We’ve performed well against a side that we want to be competing with. Now, we need to perform against a team that are fighting at the other end of the table with lots of energy.

“Hopefully, we can get connected to the right energy and understand that we will need to be very attentive to every detail. It’s about understanding that the game will be very tough.”

Both Maestre and West Ham United boss Rita Guarino have come into their jobs mid-season. Maestre went on to discuss some of the challenges coming in as London City Lionesses head coach.

He said “It’s a huge challenge coming in mid-season to a club with big ambitions. Every action has to be the best every day here to meet the high standards. 

“You come here and you’re not comfortable with the language for the first few weeks. Even though you have the support, you still have to build connections. 

“You have to be demanding but it’s about having a balance, connecting and trying to maintain the highest standards. When you follow those kind of standards, it’s not always easy. It was a challenge but it’s something I’m used to.

“It’s been a very good experience for me and I’m pleased to have got the chance and the opportunity, that’s why I’m here. I’m trying to do my best every day.”

London City Lionesses’ Barclays Women’s Super League fixture at West Ham United kicks-off at 12pm on Sunday afternoon.