West Ham's Marko Arnautovic slams critics ahead of Tottenham clash: 'People who say I am up and down don't know anything about football'

  • West Ham face Tottenham on Thursday following their win over West Brom
  • Marko Arnautovic has scored five goals in his last six Premier League games
  • The Austrian provided the assist for Andy Carroll's winner on Tuesday night
  • Arnautovic claimed his critics are always quick to slate his performances
  • The 28-year-old felt scoring or assisting doesn't determine a good performance 

Marko Arnautovic is on track to become the Premier League's greatest enigma with the misunderstood Austrian dismissing claims he has found his form after a difficult start at West Ham.

Arnautovic has five goals in his six Premier League games and supplied the cross for Andy Carroll's stoppage-time winner against West Brom on Tuesday.

At a glance, it suggests a vast improvement on his first 13 games for West Ham - no goals and one red card – following a club record £27million transfer from Stoke.

Marko Arnautovic insists scoring or assisting doesn't determine whether he has played well

Marko Arnautovic insists scoring or assisting doesn't determine whether he has played well

But Arnautovic explained: 'People who say I am up and down don't know anything about football.


'People expect me to score and assist every time I play, but sometimes I score and I go home and think I didn't play very well, but because I scored they'll say 'wow he was amazing' but I wasn't.

'These people don't know what tactics the coach has given you, what you have to do in the game, tracking your runner, tracking defenders, going inside and trying to help the team.

'Sometimes you win 2-0 and don't score or make an assist, but you know you played well because you did everything for the team, but the media only see when you score and say you're the best.

'If you score or assist and win the game you are the best player in the world but if you lose you are the worst player on the planet.'

The 28-year-old has slammed his critics, saying they 'don't know anything about football'

The 28-year-old has slammed his critics, saying they 'don't know anything about football'

The Austrian provided the assist to Andy Carroll's stoppage-time winner over West Brom

The Austrian provided the assist to Andy Carroll's stoppage-time winner over West Brom

Arnautovic does admit it was a disappointing start to his West Ham career.

'I was hot happy with myself, either,' said the 28-year-old. 'Fans pay to come to the stadium to see your performance and I want to show the club that they didn't pay so much for me for nothing.'

Carroll scored his first two goals of the season as West Ham came back from a goal down to beat West Brom and hopes to keep his place against Tottenham on Thursday night.

'It's been very frustrating,' said Carroll. 'I've been sitting on the bench, it's been tough. I've been wanting to play. I've been wanting to get there and start.

'It's hard when you're coming on for the last 20 minutes. I've probably been making an impact but it's not really what I want to do, I don't want to be an impact player coming off the bench.

'When I was called upon I felt like I needed to show what I was about and try and get back into the starting 11, and scoring the two goals and getting the win for the lads was great.'

Carroll claimed it was 'great' to score the winning goals for the Hammers on Tuesday

Carroll claimed it was 'great' to score the winning goals for the Hammers on Tuesday

West Ham came back from two down at half-time to beat Spurs at Wembley in the Carabao Cup in October and the tie haunts Mauricio Pochettino.

'I would sign now to reach half-time at 2-0,' said Pochettino. 'Then we need to be clever and play like 0-0 and score two more. It will be very tough. West Ham is improving a lot with David Moyes.

Spurs will be without Danny Rose who has suffered another knee injury and hope Harry Kane can start despite a heavy cold.

Aaron Cresswell is a doubt for West Ham with a sore back and Reece Oxford, recalled from a loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, has injured an ankle by kicking the ground in training.

Arnautovic insisted he has been disappointed with his performance in games he has scored in

Arnautovic insisted he has been disappointed with his performance in games he has scored in