Ex-West Ham United midfielder Scott Parker has hailed the job Slaven Bilic has done at Upton Park, but feels the Hammers are a mid-table side, albeit one with several very good players.
Bilic, appointed to succeed Sam Allardyce in the summer, enjoyed a superb start to the season and masterminded wins away at Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool, while West Ham have also beaten champions Chelsea at home.
West Ham began to dream of a top four spot, with co-chairman David Sullivan saying at the end of October: "They always say where you are after nine or ten games is a fair reflection of where you're going to be.
"We've had a very tough ten games, so whilst I fully accept we could have a disaster like last year and finish well down the table, I also think it could all go on and we really could finish in the top four."
But following a 4-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur today, Parker believes West Ham formed a false impression of their capabilities based on early results and are a mid-table side.
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Speaking about Bilic on Sky Sports Super Sunday, Parker said: "He's come in and done a fantastic job, got some early results, which were probably a little bit false in where they were sitting in the scale of things in the league.
"They are a mid-table team and they have some very, very good players."
Parker, now at Championship side Fulham, played for West Ham between 2007 and 2011.
Next up for the Hammers is a visit from West Brom next weekend, before they welcome in December by travelling to Manchester United.
