"?West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic was buoyed by the improved second half performance from his side against Manchester City on Sunday afternoon after what had been a rather one sided opening 45 minutes in favour of the home team at the Etihad Stadium.
"They were much better than us in the first half," Bilic explained (via WHUFC.com) as he picked the bones out of the 3-1 score-line after the final whistle.
"[City] started very well, and not only did they show the quality on the ball which we knew [they had] but they were quicker, more aggressive than us and better on the second balls," he added.
"We gave them way too much space and time on the ball and of course they have plenty of class."
The travelling Hammers found themselves 2-0 down at the interval, cut open inside the first 7 minutes as Raheem Sterling scored, and then undone by a set-piece barely 10 minutes later.
For Bilic it was important that some pride was restored in the second half, while Michail Antonio's back-post header, fast becoming a trademark of the now England winger, even threatened to make a game of it until the stoppage time when Sterling scored again.
"In the second half it changed and of course the goal helped. We put them under a little bit of pressure. They had their chances too, because we were open, but in the second half I was more than happy," Bilic commented.
"At half time, I wasn't happy, but I asked the guys to show the character, the spirit, the attitude and mentality which they basically did in the second half.
"I have praise for the team for the second half performance. It's a shame that we conceded the late goal, but it was a good second half as I said. The first wasn't."
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