Robert Green has accused his West Ham team-mates of having an attitude problem after the club were dumped out of the Carling Cup at Bolton

By JONATHAN CLEGG

Robert Green has accused his West Ham team-mates of having an attitude problem after the club were dumped out of the Carling Cup at Bolton.

The Hammers crashed out at the Reebok Stadium despite taking a second-half lead through Herita Ilunga as the home side equalised late on through Kevin Davies, before extra-time goals from Gary Cahill and Johan Elmander settled the tie.

The defeat completed a miserable week for the club after Saturday's home loss to Liverpool condemned West Ham to their worst start to a league season since Glenn Roeder oversaw the club's relegation in 2003.

West Ham have not won a Premier League game since the opening day of the season and the late collapse against Bolton has convinced Green that his Upton Park colleagues have developed an inflated opinion of their own ability.

"We didn't play any football in the second half and I think we're getting above ourselves, thinking we're better then we are at the moment," Green said.

"We're in a position where we have to get results. Like Saturday, we didn't defend well for 90 minutes and didn't take our chances.

"We were sloppy at both ends and you know when you come to Bolton you're going to concede free-kicks and corners and so it proved.

"I think they scored off their 16th corner and with five minutes to go you have to defend properly. We didn't and it cost us.

"We didn't play well enough before or after our goal to kill the game off."

England international Green has challenged his team-mates to prove their mettle when the Hammers visit Manchester City on Monday night in a match that will see Craig Bellamy in action against his former colleagues.

"It's going to be tough. He's a tough opponent and I've played with him over the years and he's quick and dangerous in one-on-one situations.

"We're going to be big underdogs and they showed on Sunday [against Manchester United] what they're capable of and we're going to have buck our ideas up before then to really nail down what we're about.