05/12/2015 17:59, Report by Jamie Allen
SMALLING: WE ARE JUST AS FRUSTRATED
Chris Smalling says his Manchester United team-mates share the fans' frustrations after a goalless draw with West Ham United at Old Trafford on Saturday.
With Wayne Rooney missing the match due to injury, Smalling stood in as skipper and was solid alongside his colleagues in keeping West Ham out. However, it was at the other end of the pitch where United endured a frustrating afternoon, missing a number of opportunities to take the three points.
Smalling told MUTV: "Today was a massive frustration for us and it’s so disappointing when you dominate a game. In the second half, we created a number of opportunities but we didn’t have that luck to see the ball drop in.
"The fans have the right to show their frustration and we are just as frustrated. In the changing room, everyone is down because it is an opportunity missed. We are in a good position in the league, but it could have been boosted today."
Despite another stalemate – the fifth 0-0 draw in the last nine games in all competitions – Smalling feels the goals will start to come if United continue to create opportunities.
"It’s not that we are not creating the chances," he said. "In the second half, we had quite a few opportunities in and around their six-yard box and we could have easily had a few goals.
"The opportunity was there to be capitalised on, to go top of the league, but it wasn’t meant to be. If we keep creating chances, we are confident sooner rather than later they will go in. On another day, we would have punished them, but when you dominate like we did, we should be taking the three points."
Smalling knows the players must pick themselves up with a trip to Wolfsburg next up for the Reds on Tuesday evening.
"We don’t want to live with too much frustration going into training," he added. "We will recover tomorrow and, on Monday, we will go to Germany with an important goal in mind."
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