be hard put to (do something)
To be struggling to do or accomplish something, especially because it seems impossible. You'll be hard put to find a better guy than Bill. Come on—if we don't leave soon, we'll be hard put to get there on time.
hard put, be
Find something very difficult, as in The show was so bad that I was hard put to conceal my dismay, or Manufacturers will be hard put to meet the new standards. [c. 1700]