Sam Allardyce: "Ultimately, it can only be ourselves to blame that we got so close but yet so far. That's what makes me pretty sad: we've come so far for what looks like in the end no reward. That is difficult to take and difficult to swallow"
Friday 7 May 2021 18:00, UK
West Brom manager Sam Allardyce has reflected on missed opportunities ahead of their trip to Arsenal on Sunday.
Allardyce has never been relegated from the Premier League as a manager but that remarkable record will end if his side do not win their last four matches, starting at the Emirates Stadium.
The Baggies must do so without Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who is unable to face his parent club as part of his loan agreement from the Gunners.
While Allardyce thinks performances have improved since he succeeded Slaven Bilic, the former Bolton, West Ham and Everton boss feels aggrieved that Albion have been unable to build sufficient momentum, particularly in recent weeks.
"The sad thing is there have been many times we could have made life easier for ourselves," he said.
"We should be at least one place higher. The consistent level of performances have given us a big chance to try to get there.
"Ultimately, it can only be ourselves to blame that we got so close but yet so far. That's what makes me pretty sad: we've come so far for what looks like in the end no reward. That is difficult to take and difficult to swallow."
Allardyce, whose side have won just five matches all season, revealed the job has exasperated him at times but he insisted he wants nothing less than wholehearted effort from his players for the rest of the season.
"I haven't got a magic wand," he added. "I have confidence in the players and their performances, I have said to those players twice this week 'I will not accept anything other than 100 per cent'.
"Of course, I know what their best level is now, nobody can pull the wool over my eyes any more, they've got no excuse not to give anything other than their best.
"I cannot show my frustration when I'm working with the players day-in and day-out, if you show your frustration that's you not doing your job correctly. But I have been frustrated many a time on my own, thinking 'if only...'
"It's a difficult challenge for them but if they give their best then that's all I can ask and hopefully that will be good enough to get us a few more victories before the end of the season."
