James Ward-Prowse says that West Ham showed “too much respect” in the first leg of the Bayer Leverkusen tie.

Back-to-back 2-0 losses last week could have decided West Ham’s season. Everyone knew how tough the Bayer Leverkusen game would be and, up until the last 10 minutes, the Hammers coped excellently with the relentless pressure.

The more disappointing of the two was their defeat at home to Fulham. The Hammers hadn’t lost at home to the Cottagers since 2001 and it was a must win game if they were to keep pushing for European football.

Unfortunately, it was a game that West Ham simply didn’t look up to and midfielder James Ward-Prowse has been more than happy to confess that the responsibility lies on the players. “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 told the official site. “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.”

Given their two goal deficit, it is going to require a spectacular effort to go through to the semi-final of the Europa League. However, the former Southampton captain believes that they have every chance as long as they can get the first goal.

“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.”