Category: Report

Dyche Outwits Moyes In Brothers Grimm Horror Story: Here Are Five Fairy Tale Takeaways

Another dull, low quality and instantly forgettable encounter between the Premier League’s two Cinderella clubs where nobody is interested in going for the ball.

Entertainment Goes Missing In Action

What a sorry excuse for an elite level football match that was. A tumultuous battle of trench warfare between two sides equally determined not to lose. A game as grey as the Everton shirts where nothing exceptional occurred during the entire ninety minutes. It was so grim even VAR fell asleep and couldn’t be bothered to intervene. Was this entertainment worthy of the extravagant ticket prices charged? Are dour, old-school managers like Moyes and Dyche, who got left behind by the game some years ago, really the best that clubs like West Ham and Everton can find? In the end, Everton deserved their win by default, scoring with the type of goal that the Hammers concede all too frequently. Along with Areola’s fine save to prevent an even more embarrassing defeat it was a brief flicker in an otherwise dull afternoon. If Dyche can be cut some slack some slack because a) his brief is probably survival at all costs in perilous circumstances; and b) because his side were playing away, what is the excuse for Moyes? Into his fourth straight season at West Ham, having spent hundreds of millions to shape a side in his own image and what we get is a run of shambolic, disjointed displays explained away by a barrel load of implausible excuses. Nice work if you can get it!

Team Selection and Its Unintended Consequences

The West Ham team selection may well have raised a few eyebrows when it was first announced. The replacement of the suspended Emerson with the ageing Aaron Cresswell was expected, but Mohammed Kudus starting in place of the hitherto undroppable Thomas Soucek came out of the blue. It was high time Kudus was given a start, but had expected it to be as replacement for goal shy Michail Antonio. Kudus began full of promise, his energy and neat footwork threatening to give the crowd something to cheer but then faded as the game progressed. The omission of Soucek required James Ward-Prowse to drop deeper and he rarely impresses there – his passing laboured, his lack of pace apparent. His best work is done further forward where opponents are required to keep a careful watch, providing others with space. It was no shock when he was taken off. Cresswell did nothing particularly wrong but equally he didn’t do much right – at least creatively. Emerson is the only full-back at the club who supplies width and offers invention going forward – he was sorely missed yesterday.

The 21 Day David Moyes Low Intensity Workout Plan

Having to play seven matches in 21 days must always be a challenge. But that is not a reason to approach each game with such low levels if intensity. West Ham have now played three of those games and in each they have been weary and woeful. Even making wholesale personnel changes for the Europa League didn’t change the lacklustre, half-hearted attitude that has ben seen on the pitch. Unless it is a case of getting back quickly into their defensive shape, the team appears to have no apparent plan. Pre and post-match, Moyes claims he knew what to expect from a Dyche Everton team. Yet he was seemingly clueless on how to combat it. His hangdog caution and negativity must surely transfer to the players taking the field? Last season it fell to Declan Rice to galvanise and inspire through words and example. Kurt Zouma isn’t that guy. In the early exchanges there was hope that Kudus and Lucas Paqueta might have the tricks to unlock the visitors defence, but as Kudus faded, Paqueta became frustrated and increasingly over-egged the showboating. In the final knockings when we should have expected everything but the kitchen sink to be thrown at Everton, the game petered out with a whimper.

David, You Have Three Games To Save Your Job

The clocks have gone back and the nights are drawing in – so it must be time for a brand new season of You’ve Got Three Games To Save Your Job. We already know the script for episode one. Routine defeats to Arsenal in Wednesday’s EFL Cup tie and at Brentford in the League will be be followed by a scruffy victory over Olympiacos in the Europa League. The clock is reset and off it goes again. Rinse and repeat until we are mathematically safe from relegation. Must we live through the same charade again? Can’t those in the boardroom not see that Moyes is Yesterday’s Man? That his continued presence is doing nothing more than sucking any remaining joy out of the club. I have to believe that the squad of expensively assembled players are more talented than they look most weekends. That with a more enlightened coach they would prosper and be viewed in the same positive light as Tottenham, Villa, and Brighton. Thanks for the Conference cup win and a top six finish, Dave, but that was then, and this is now. Time for a change before the season becomes a meaningless slog.

Down With The Halloween Decorations

Ten points from the first four games and then a mere four from the next six. It is common to look at form over the last six games and just one win against the hapless Blades is poor in anyone’s book. With Edson Alvarez and Paqueta now suspended for the visit to Brentford, the Oracle Cloud Computer will struggle to calculate a positive West Ham win probability for that one. It is becoming more apparent that the early season wins were a quirk, and that the trajectory is downwards – and at speed. It can now safely be seen as a poor start to the season.

Never Mind The Invincibles, Meet The Impenetrables: 5 Takeaways From West Ham’s Win At Brighton

Another 3-1 to the cockney boys. What did we learn as West Ham put a decisive end to the Brighton hoodoo?

We’re Sitting On Top of The Table

Well, it looks like the title is shaping up to be a two-horse race. A tactical battle between England’s two reigning European champions. I hadn’t expected the Hammers to hit the front so early and we can only hope they don’t bottle it like Arsenal did last season. All that is needed to make it the perfect bank holiday weekend is for those friendly Blades to derail the Manchester City charge when the two teams meet at Bramall Lane. The Hammers can then spend a week looking forward to Fantastic Friday with an away win at Luton, exciting deadline day signings, and a favourable Europa League group stage draw.  

Brighton Owned By Minimalist Possession

In the age of deep thinking, philosophical football coaches, David Moyes’ post-minimalist approach to possession could easily be misinterpreted as a retrospective pastiche of a lost and forgotten game😉Perhaps it will come back in fashion like cardigans and Oxford bags. Many supporters are conflicted by the style of play but when it works so clinically, and you see a game plan executed brilliantly (against a team you never beat), then what’s not to like? We should be buzzing! It was the right tactics for the occasion and until the Hammer’s legs tired late on, Brighton could find no way through. In the goal, at the back and through the middle, West Ham were the “Impenetrables”. But unlike last season when attempts at attacking pizazz had gone missing, bodies were suddenly getting into the box quickly in support of counterattacks. The statistic of just 13 completed passes in the opening 30 minutes is one best brushed under the carpet of success – for now!

Smells Like Team Spirit

The most striking takeaway from two unexpected wins in seven days has been the obviously outstanding team spirit. An unbreakable bond seems to have been carried over from the Europa Conference triumph. It hadn’t been transferred to Arsenal as an add-on to the Rice deal after all. There may have been individual stand-out moments in the game, but every player gave their all for the cause. Resilience and commitment aren’t coached on the training ground but come from the heart. Well done, the team! It’s so far, so good with the new recruits as well. Edson Alvarez put in a great shift patrolling in front of the back four and dropping back into it when required. He should have been replaced before he was as his legs had clearly gone by the time of the Brighton goal. And what a introduction to West Ham for James Ward-Prowse. Great to see him get forward so quickly and to poach his first Hammer’s goal. Shame about the half-hearted golf swing celebration – that one was hooked straight into the rough.  

The Goal As A Thing Of Beauty

Occasionally, you will see a goal conceived in joy and performed at leisure. Where artistry and elegance meet simplicity. And so it was with West Ham’s second yesterday. Michail Antonio picking up the ball deep in his own defensive third. A stroked pass to Said Benrahma along the left wing. Benny, composed and aware, picking the ideal moment to deliver as runners sprinted into the penalty area. The cross inch perfect, sublimely controlled first time by Jarrod Bowen and stroked into the corner of the net. Precision and perfection – and reminiscent of a goal Liverpool scored against us a year or so ago. The 3rd goal was almost (but not quite) as good. This time Bowen playing in Antonio to drive home.

West Ham’s Number One

Yesterday was probably the day that Alphonse Areola finally made the number one gloves his personal property. Not particularly over-worked in the first half (and guilty of one very messy fumble) he came into his own in the closing minutes with a spectacular demonstration of shot stopping. Reflex saves from Veltman and Ferguson were from the very top drawer. The TV director unkindly zooming in on the rueful gaze of Lukasz Fabianski sitting on the bench. A special mention also for Benrahma. Pablo Fornals had seemed the obvious choice to replace the battered Tomas Soucek, but the choice of Benny did not disappoint. One of his most assured performances in the claret and blue.  

Player Ratings: Areola (9), Coufal (7), Zouma (8), Ogbonna (7), Emerson (7), Alvarez (7), Ward-Prowse (8), Soucek (6), Paqueta (8), Bowen (8), Antonio (8) Sub: Benrahma (8)

Tales Of The Unexpected: What Did We Learn From West Ham’s Win Against Chelsea?

West Ham pulled off the shock result of the weekend seeing off big-spending Chelsea at the London Stadium. Here are the takeaways.

You’ve Scored Three Goals and No Passes

OK, so it wasn’t no passes but a total of 170 or so completed passes over the course of 90 minutes (plus added time) is hardly impressive. However, just as Woody Allen once claimed that: “there’s no such things as a bad orgasm”, then we can add that there’s no such thing as a bad win against Chelsea – especially when you have to play for over 20 minutes with ten men. It was a dream debut for James Ward-Prowse who ended the day with two assists chalked up against his name. The first (of many hopefully) was a teasingly flighted corner kick. The second, one of those technical assists where he was the penultimate player to touch the ball before it hit the net. It was a very nice pass, but it was really Michail Antonio who assisted the creation of his own opportunity – topped it off with a stunning strike which was possibly the best of his 62 Premier League goals for West Ham. For once, David Moyes made good decisions with his substitutions that saw productive cameos from Pablo Fornals and Edson Alvarez.

The Game of Two Halves Masterclass

If West Ham were a rock band, their set would open with one of their best-known songs before boring everyone silly for an hour with a medley of obscure songs from the latest album. Only towards the end would the energy levels rise again with a rousing encore of greatest hits. So, it was yesterday. A strong opening and well worked goal prompted the usual retreat, allowing the Chelsea front line to repeatedly cut through the defensive line time and time again. Had Alphonse Areola not unexpectedly saved the spot kick just before half-time; the Hammers may have been dead and buried. It would have taken a brave man to place a bet on a West Ham win at the interval. Yet, the second half played out as if it were two different teams on the pitch. West Ham defended narrower, pressed in front of the back four and shut down the spaces Chelsea’s forwards had previously exploited. The visitors were invited to put crosses into the box at will, but their delivery was woeful. Even with a one man advantage they rarely threatened after the break.

The Chelsea Red Card Menace

As well as expecting a sound thrashing, my half-time prediction was that one of Nayef Aguerd, Emerson Palmieri or Lucas Paqueta would pick up a second yellow card in the second period. And that’s just what happened. Having gone through the whole of last season without a single sending off, West Ham had fallen foul of officialdom in only their second outing. I’d like to claim a biased refereeing conspiracy but Aguerd was bang to rights on both occasions. The second yellow being both a reckless and unnecessary lunge that hard little chance of ending in success. The sending off prevented a double substitution that would have seen Fornals and Alvarez replace Said Benrahma and Tomas Soucek but Angelo Ogbonna stepped in to replace Aguerd instead. It was the Hammers first Premier League red card since Craig Dawson was dismissed also against Chelsea in April 2022.

Pleased To Meet You Hope You Guess My Name

Early season games can be unpredictable with teams sometimes making wholesale changes to their squads and switching managers. Indeed, it may have been fortunate to be playing Chelsea so early in the season given their vast turnover of personnel. Pochettino will eventually manage to get a tune out of his side even if they looked like a bunch of individuals – and a few duds – put together for big money without any particular plan. At least Raheem Sterling looked to be rejuvenated under the new regime. Although West Ham haven’t experienced the same disruption, they did lose that Declan Whatshisname fella who used to play here, and his absence will take some getting used to. The hope is that more signings will arrive at the London Stadium before the end of the transfer window, although past performance makes no guarantees. Whether that will herald an improvement is less certain. It is all very well the team being praised for their resilience, discipline, and determination – and they are great attributes – but most fans want to see a lot more than that. West Ham are not a newly promoted club whose only aspiration is to consolidate its position in the top flight. The outlook needs to change   

Out Of Left Field

 The immediate future of the Paqman will keep us guessing during the early part of the season. Will he be transferred, will he be banned? Yesterday’s eclectic performance embodied theatrics, panache, pomp, and passion. He was as pumped to have won a throw-in as he was when scoring from the spot. In open play, he is partial to drifting out to the left where Emerson (and Fornals, if he is on the pitch) seem to be the players able to operate on a similar wavelength. Emerson continues to be an enigma. Looking highly capable as a wing-back but struggling when asked to operate as a conventional full-back. If the plan is to play mostly with a back four, other options are required at left back. If a three/ five at the back is preferred then someone who can play right wing-back is badly needed.

David Moyes Versus The Lettuce: Which Will Last The Longest?

As his trademark caution once again fails to push home the advantage, how much longer will the West Ham board tolerate his dull and negative approach to the game. What did we learn from the points shared in the season opener at Bournemouth?

The Plan: We Only Need To Be Better Than Three Other Teams

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different outcome, then our manager must be as mad a box of baby haggises (or is it haggi?). Who would have guessed that completely surrendering the initiative would have given a boost to a previously short-on-ideas opponent? Or do we expect too much? Perhaps in the Moyestro’s mind a draw at Bournemouth represents a very satisfactory day at the office. In an ‘any point away from home is a bonus and we were unlucky not to win’ sort of way. Pick up another point at Luton and his side will be right on track to reach the manager’s targeted two points from the opening six games. Then we can focus on the more realistic challenge of fighting for scrappy home wins from the peer group that includes Forest, Everton, Burnley and Sheffield United.

Possession And How Not To Use It

I’ve never been too hung up on possession statistics. It’s more about what you do with the ball once you have it at your feet. The clue is pass to a teammate. Take Brentford for example. Last season, they had a similar level of possession to West Ham and relied just as heavily on the long pass. But because they commit more players forward, they pose a far greater threat, are exciting to watch, and force every opponent to be wary of pushing too many of their own players forward. Sadly, that’s not how Moyesball works. To him, risk is a dirty word along with its evil twin, entertainment. Despite this, West Ham were the better side in the first half yesterday, taking advantage of a hesitant host who were uncertain what their new manager expected of them. The Hammers were never likely to run riot (as they had a few months earlier), but they created the better opportunities in a low-key first half, without ever dominating.

The Natural Negative Instincts Are Never Far Away

The watershed moment in the game came when West Ham took the lead – and what a beautiful strike it was from Jarrod Bowen. The possession percentage barely changed pre and post goal, but the balance of play switched completely. Bournemouth threw caution to the wind, bringing on more attack minded players while Moyes reverted to type – attempting to batten down the hatches and protect the slim advantage his team held. It just isn’t in his DNA (or Dinnae in Scottish) to exploit the extra space on offer in search of a second conclusive goal. His only strategy for killing off a game is through boredom. It was no surprise when the equaliser came. Anyone watching could sense it was only a matter of time. All the opposition needs when you concede so much space is to get lucky once. And they did just that when a mishit shot turned into a killer pass for Solanke to finish. The sight of Moyes yelling at Vladimir Coufal in the dying minutes not to take a quick attacking throw and take his time instead says all you need to know about his cautious mindset.

Substitutions And How Not To Use Them

Andoni Iraola had made five substitutions before Moyes sprang into action with his. And when he did, he really needn’t have bothered. I’m convinced he has an alert on his phone, set up at the 70-minute mark with a reminder to swap Michail Antonio with Danny Ings. The type of like for like change that the manager loves. A change for change’s sake play that confuses activity with action. Antonio’s role yesterday was baffling. Appearing in the most unlikely areas of the pitch and taking only one touch in the opponent’s penalty area. He looks to have lost all interest in playing for West Ham (or the manager). The second change in the aftermath of the Bournemouth equaliser (Thilo Kehrer for Pablo Fornals) was a clear indication of intent – preserve the point at all costs. Finally, there was a rare sighting of the illusive Comet. Maxwell replacing Lucas Paqueta in added time and being on the pitch just long enough to be caught offside. Paqueta showing once again what a difference he could make to a team that wasn’t quite as static as the Hammers. He will be missed when he leaves next week.

Of Strikers and Recruitment

The manager loves to present himself as a tight-lipped man of misery mystery when he speaks to the press. It is beyond belief that any Premier League coach would contemplate embarking on a new campaign with only Antonio, Ings and Divin Mubama as the main striker options. Or is the cunning plan to convert Bowen and/ or Cornet to plough that lone farrow? Neither is the brightest of ideas, and we can only hope there is an adult somewhere in the recruitment process who can make the Board see sense. Moyes cannot be trusted to act as sole arbiter of the transfer kitty. Come on Tim, find us a proper striker. The ‘David Moyes has only n games to save his job’ news cycle cannot be far away. I might need to buy a hat to eat if he is still around at the end of September.  

Player Ratings

Areola (6), Coufal (5), Zouma (6), Aguerd (6), Emerson (5), Soucek (6), Paqueta (7), Bowen (7), Fornals (5), Benrahma (5), Antonio (4)

West Ham at Anfield, plus abuse of officials setting a poor example to the junior game

I thought that Jurgen Klopp was very restrained on the touchline in our game at Liverpool on Wednesday night. He had previously “lost it” last weekend at assistant referee Gary Beswick and was sent off for his outburst. He did apologise and has vowed to try to contain his behaviour. To be fair he hadn’t been sent off before, but this time he really overstepped the mark. Some of his fellow managers, including our own gave him support. Frank Lampard for example does not seem to believe there is a link between the behaviour of managers at the top level and the abuse that referees get at junior levels. David Moyes believes that managers can “lose their heads” in a game and change their character from their true selves.

As someone who watches junior football I believe Klopp has a responsibility to set an example like all elite managers and players should. Like it or not, young players copy what they see the professionals doing. And parents on the touchline will copy what they see too. The abuse given to referees at junior matches can be quite appalling. Klopp’s conduct leads to parents reacting in the same way, because I guess, they think it’s OK. It’s not. Referees at grassroots level are giving up in droves because they can’t stand the abuse. The FA revealed that last season 380 players were banned for attacking or threatening officials in English grassroots football. I hope Klopp gets a significant touchline ban.

Players surrounding the referee when a decision goes against them is another issue that needs addressing. In the days of Alex Ferguson Manchester United players were notorious for this kind of behaviour. The same is true of their players today, and the club have been charged for failing to control them in last Sunday’s game against Newcastle when they surrounded the referee like a pack of dogs. Their current manager doesn’t agree believing it wasn’t that aggressive. Of course West Ham have now been charged with failing to control players after they too surrounded the referee (Peter Bankes) during last Sunday’s draw at Southampton when he body checked Jarrod Bowen as he attempted to tackle Perraud just before he scored. I’m not sure we can learn too much from the game of rugby, but the insistence that only the captain can approach the referee to question decisions is one that perhaps we could follow. Similar situations surrounding referees happen in junior football too. Would it happen if they didn’t see players at elite levels doing it? I don’t believe it would.

Back to Wednesday night’s game at Anfield. To only lose 1-0 and miss a penalty in the process is a sign that we are, perhaps, not too far away from getting back towards our form of the last two seasons. We restricted Liverpool to a handful of chances, and Fabianski was equal to the challenge when necessary. The amazing statistic that we are the lowest scoring Premier League team in the first half of games this season (only scoring 2 so far) was maintained during a first half where we were threatened to be overrun in the early stages. But a much improved second half performance could have, and perhaps should have resulted in us getting a point out of the game.

I thought that Declan Rice had a tremendous game, doing his usual stuff, plus thrusting forward and setting up attacks more than he has done in recent times. I believe that one of the reasons for this was the inclusion of Flynn Downes from the start. Every time I see Downes he impresses me with his strength when tackling and challenging for the ball, his positional sense, and his great habit of finding a team-mate when passing the ball, unlike one or two others in the team. I hope he gets a run in the starting eleven.

We still find ourselves in the bottom half of the table two points above the relegation zone, but only five points below seventh place where we finished last season. Three of the next four games before the break for the World Cup are at home to Bournemouth, Palace and Leicester with a trip to Old Trafford sandwiched in between. We have a good opportunity (on paper) to move into the top half before the break. Ten points from those four games would be good. What are the chances?

Pitch Imperfect: Five Takeaways From West Ham’s Lost Points Against Crystal Palace

The perfect start to the season comes to a premature end with below par performances and accusations of an imperfect London Stadium pitch

Party Pooping Palace

Crystal Palace are perennial party poopers on their visits to West Ham and it should be no real surprise that they did it again. In nine visits since their return to the top-flight in 2013/14 the record is four draws, three away wins and two home wins. Despite my natural (probably, arrogant) instinct that the Hammers should easily brush past off their south London neighbours, that is the least probable outcome in recent history. A dominant first half suggested that a third successive win could well be on the cards, but the second half story was very different once the visitors recognised West Ham were well below their best. A single goal lead is always precarious but more so for a side capable of surrendering three goal advantages. In the end Palace were good value for their draw as the game ended in precious points dropped for the Hammers, just as it had on my last ever visit to the Boleyn in April 2016.    

Engine Trouble

The foundation for much of what is good about the current West Ham team is centred on the partnership of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek. Protecting the back line and giving freedom for attacking players to get forward quickly on the break. They have set themselves an exceptionally high bar and unfortunately never quite reached it on Saturday. It may have been a hangover from the exertions of Monday night or a consequence of the newly accused bumpy London Stadium pitch, but both were below their usual standards. Rice with several uncharacteristically poor touches and Soucek rarely getting into advanced positions from open play.  A bad day at the office!

Trading Places

Although it was exactly the same team that played against Leicester, there was a noticeable tweak with Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma swapping primary roles. Fornals who had played more centrally against the Foxes moving wide to the left and Benrahma switching from the left to the centre. The rationale, I suppose, was a defensive one, to provide greater support to the full-backs in cutting off the supply of crosses to Benteke.  It was quite a negative tactical adjustment to make and I felt neither player’s overall game benefitted from the change.  I considered Fornal’s central role against Leicester had been his most influential in a West Ham shirt, but David Moyes had maybe seen it differently and is not convinced by either in the central role. The reason, perhaps, why he remains keen to bring in Lingard and/ or Vlasic before the end of the transfer window.  

Defensive (Claret &) Blues

Both of the conceded goals were extremely poor from West Ham’s point of view. Sometimes goals are the result of individual errors but the two on Saturday were the result of collective failures – just as the two at Newcastle had been. Opponents were allowed to carry the ball too far without challenge, more could have been done to prevent crosses and those crosses had to be dealt with better. The second equaliser demonstrated a particularly poor lack of concentration, coming so soon after Michail Antonio’s splendid strike to restore the lead. The Palace goals did feature two very smart finishes from the impressive Gallagher, it has to be said. Although Craig Dawson was implicated both times, the fault was not his alone. Dawson is a committed and honest player but with obvious limitations at this level. The signing of Kurt Zouma will no doubt limit his first team appearances from now on.  

No Game Changers

The late introduction of Manuel Lanzini and Andriy Yarmolenko served little purpose other than using up a bit of time. Neither has much to offer these days and the fact they are considered to be the best game changing possibilities available says much about the depth of the squad. A degree of sympathy for Lanzini who has never been the same player since suffering serious injury. Yarmolenko, on the other hand, is technically gifted but just not suited to the pace and frenzy of the Premier League. Even his trademark party trick of cutting in from the right and curling one in with his left fell short on this occasion. If there really is intent to bring in additional midfield players before tomorrow’s deadline, it would be no big loss if Yarmolenko and Lanzini were shipped out to balance the books.  

Ratings: Fabianski (6), Coufal (8), Ogbonna (6), Dawson (4), Cresswell (6), Rice (6), Soucek (6), Bowen (7), Benrahma (6), Fornals (7), Antonio (7)

Whistling A Happy Toon: Five Takeaways From West Ham’s Opening Day Rout At St James’ Park

West Ham swept to victory in a thrilling game away at Newcastle. The lessons learned and player ratings.

That’s Entertainment

It was great to get a Premier League season off to a winning start for a change. Hopefully, not an omen for what transpired after last season’s opener, where with the result reversed the Hammers went on to great things while Newcastle faded into indifference. A fantastic win at a stadium where West Ham rarely bring anything home, but more than anything it was good old-fashioned entertainment. Credit to both teams and the officials for that. A recognition that football is a contact sport where tackling is part of the game. It’s not a foul every time a player goes to ground at the merest suggestion of contact. Six goals and thirty-five goals attempts in an end-to-end thriller was superb value for money. The icing on the cake was that VAR did its job quietly in the background – unobtrusive in correcting obvious errors just as it is supposed to be.  

The Defence Rests

The clean sheet obsession is a relatively new phenomenon in the stat dominated world of football. Give me a competitive 4-2 victory over a cagey 1-0 win any time. Any team showing a sense of adventure will always present occasional chances at the back. Having said defensive competence is expected and the careless play that contributed to both Newcastle play should be avoided. Both times possession was surrendered cheaply close to our own penalty area with poor marking compounding the errors. The first began with poor control from Aaron Cresswell, was assisted by Declan Rice failing to prevent the tricky feet Saint-Maximin from getting to the bye-line, and was completed by Craig Dawson and Vladimir Coufal losing Wilson in the penalty box. The sloppy second started when a combination of Jarrod Bowen and Coufal failed to clear their lines and ended with an unmarked Murphy presented with a free header from a cross that landed on his head.   Both very poor goals to concede!

A Game of Two Halves

In his post-match comments, David Moyes suggested the Hammers had played well throughout ninety minutes. I don’t agree with that. A spark was missing in the first 45 minutes but was thankfully reignited in the second period. At half-time Newcastle were good value for their lead and it looked like they wanted it more in front of a passionate and vocal (but what a great effort from the visiting West Ham supporters) . Rice and Coufal in particular looked completely different players after the break as the Hammers took firm control on the game. Moyes claims he didn’t change things at half-time but there was a discernible change in attitude. Whether it was renewed belief as a result of Said Benrahma’s fine headed equaliser, or the consequence of superior fitness, but the Hammers increasingly looked to be the likelier victors. Even the Oracle Cloud Win Probability Predictor thought so. Once West Ham were ahead it would always be difficult for Newcastle’s counter-attacking tactics to get them back in the game. And talking of counter attacking what a sweet breakaway goal the Hammer’s fourth from Michail Antonio was. In my match preview I pointed out how few goals the Hammers scored last season between the 61st and 75th minutes. How wrong that was this time. West Ham saw out the closing period comfortably and by the 87th minute I was completely relaxed that we wouldn’t be losing this game.  

Spot Kick Conundrum

Penalties are always a matter of opinion. Some are more obvious than others, and while the one given for the foul on Pablo Fornals may have been close to 50/50, it was not a clear and obvious error to award it. The defender (Murphy) stuck out a desperate leg which caused Fornals to go over. You could see Murphy acknowledge his mistake and Fornals attempted to get up again in pursuit of the ball. A reasonable call in my book. Not sure what process led to the decision to nominate Michail Antonio as designated penalty taker, but he looked no more confident with the responsibility than Rice did in the past. I like to see penalties old-school with a decent run-up (at least to the edge of the penalty area) and striking the ball as hard as you can. I’m sure Tomas Soucek would be a better pick, but Cresswell would also be a good call.   

Strong Team, Weak Squad

On the second half showing it is apparent that this is a very decent starting eleven, with tremendous spirit, who are good enough to compete for a place in the top six of the Premier League. But a look at the bench (with I think only had Arthur Masuaku missing) reveals how shallow the squad depth is. It can never be good for a team to effectively pick itself with no competition for places. And that ignores the injuries and suspensions that will inevitably turn up during the course of the season. Additional numbers are badly required in several key positions. A new central defender is needed but not surprisingly the striker situation gets the most attention, and is naturally the most difficult to fill. The 50 or so misfiring strikers that Gold and Sullivan have signed during their tenure at West Ham demonstrates the dilemma facing the club right now. And time is running out fast to solve it.

Ratings: Fabianski (6), Coufal (7), Ogbonna (7), Dawson (6), Creswell (7), Rice (8), Soucek (7), Bowen (8), Benrahma (8), Fornals (7), Antonio (8)

Wednesday Wonderland for West Ham, but will it be a Super Sunday at Newcastle?

Was that an enjoyable finish to a game of football or what? On Wednesday night I enjoyed the ending of a game of football more than I have done in ages. When you have supported West Ham for as long as I have (back to the late 1950s) you can probably recall so many occasions when a game of football involving our team has had a dramatic finale. And in the vast majority of those we have been left shaking our heads in disbelief as a late goal has either stopped us from winning a game, or turned a draw into a defeat. And how many times in recent years have teams broken away at pace to score an important late goal against us? Well just for once tonight it was the other way round.

How important was Andriy Yarmolenko’s goal for West Ham? That single goal turned one point into three and gave us a small cushion ahead of our close rivals in the relegation stakes. We are now three points above the drop zone with a superior goal difference over the others involved. But despite only having 29% possession and facing a talented Chelsea team, that goal and the win it produced will (I hope) give everyone at the club massive confidence for the six games to come. You only have to look at the league table and the fixtures remaining to see why bookmakers’ odds, that had us not much better than even money to be relegated before the game, have now changed dramatically. If you still think we will go down you can get odds of 7/1 or bigger, and to stay up we are now quoted at around 1/16.

For me, the whole team, including the substitutes of course, played well. The commitment of the players against a team pushing for a Champions League place was admirable. As the game was drawing to a close I was pleased with the point we were about to get, but the joy of that breakaway winner will stay with me. And fine goal that it was, especially given the importance, it wasn’t even our best goal on the night. That was our second goal. Watch it back if you get a chance. How many West Ham players touched the ball in the build-up? I think I’ve got it right in saying that every outfield player was involved. Goals such as these rarely win goal of the season competitions (that is usually reserved for dramatic overhead kicks or volleys) but for me, this was our best goal of the season. After several viewings I think I’ve got it – Fredericks to Soucek to Diop to Ogbonna to Cresswell to Lanzini to Rice to Lanzini to Rice to Fornals to Rice to Antonio (penalty?) to Fornals to Bowen and finally swept home by the tireless Antonio (my man of the match but so many in contention).

I’m pleased I don’t have to say too much about that ridiculous three and a half minute VAR fiasco where Jonathan Moss, who has been involved in so many controversial decisions against us in the past few years, once again made my blood boil. But we won the game in the end so I’ll forget it for now. Until we come across the same official.

The games come thick and fast now, so how many of our players are fit to play against Newcastle? I was a Newcastle fan the other night when they played at Bournemouth. Actually I quite like Newcastle anyway, more so than many of the other clubs in the Premier League, so even without wanting Bournemouth to lose that game, I was pleased they won so convincingly. My prediction before the resumption was for Norwich, Villa and Bournemouth to go down and I see no reason to change my mind now. The bookmakers now have those three as strong favourites to be relegated with Norwich 1/100, Bournemouth 1/8 and Villa 1/4.

Apparently three of our injured players are back in contention for selection in this game, Noble, Masuaku and Haller. Will there be any changes in the starting eleven? I’ve really no idea, although normally I like to see the same players involved in such a confidence boosting victory retained. But the Chelsea game may have taken more out of the team than we know and there is little chance for a rest prior to the game.

Perhaps Haller will be recalled to play alongside Antonio in attack? If so, whose place would he take? Despite Lanzini’s improved performance the other night, both he, and to some extent Fornals give the ball away too much for my liking. Wilshere has a habit of finding team mates when he has the ball which is a good thing. Of course Yarmalenko made a strong case in his cameo for inclusion, but perhaps a place on the bench with greater trust in bringing him on will be what will happen? In all of this Anderson seems to be the forgotten man. Is there a way back for him? Not at the moment I would suspect.

And I haven’t even mentioned Noble. Before the Chelsea game I thought it would be good for him to sit it out, and as it turned he was injured anyway. I see him playing a part in the games to come, but more often from the bench would be my thinking. Rice did an excellent job as captain, cajoling and encouraging all around him, whilst delivering another imperious performance in midfield. I’m not sure whether or not there is any chance of him still being with us next season, but by giving him the captain’s armband and telling him that the team will be built around him, might be our only remote chance of him staying. I’m afraid that the owners’ eyes might light up if a substantial offer is received for him though.

The thing about being a West Ham fan is that you are never quite sure what you are going to get from one game to another. I hope we don’t see a reaction whereby the players think that the job is done and we are safe. The intensity and commitment from the Chelsea match needs to be maintained for the rest of the campaign, and must continue at least until we are sure of playing Premier League football next season. Perhaps this game will come too soon? Newcastle, despite playing on the same evening, didn’t really have to get out of second gear to beat a poor Bournemouth side, whereas we needed to be in top gear throughout.

So what will happen? I’d like another win of course, but we may need to settle for a draw in this one. With Bournemouth playing at Manchester United, Watford at Chelsea, and Villa at Liverpool in this round of matches, I suspect that a draw might prove to be a good outcome. I’m sure Messrs. Lampard and Klopp will demand better performances from their players after the midweek defeats, and surely Manchester United will thrash Bournemouth?

Hammers’ Limitations Exposed At Tottenham but we are still outside bottom three! Just!

I have written frequently about West Ham’s limitations and there is no need to continue with them here. We were second best to a Tottenham side that had more attacking ideas than we did, but nevertheless we were unfortunate to go behind when VAR once again failed to do its job in spotting that the ball came off an attacking arm before the unfortunate Soucek deflected the ball into his own net. Apparently our manager is in trouble for remarks he made about the VAR referee, but I find it absolutely incredible that the handball was not seen. When you think back to our game at Sheffield United and the decision that went against us there when the ball brushed Declan Rice’s arm in the build-up to an equaliser, you have to say that we haven’t had the benefit of dodgy decisions this season, despite VAR being there to correct them. The second Tottenham goal came as a result of us pushing forward when Kane broke away to score, although in all honesty, we rarely looked like scoring.

Yes the lively Bowen was unlucky with his shot that came back off the post, but for the second game running Fornals missed by a mile when he should have scored with a little composure. Antonio also managed to balloon one over the bar when leaning back as he was clear on goal. But apart from Bowen and Rice, who was once again magnificent, few of our players finished this game with much credit. The manager was also culpable in my view for the way he set us up, and his poor choices and timing of substitutions.

Yet we are still outside the bottom three. But only just! Two tough games to go against Chelsea and Manchester United, who have both resumed after lockdown in good form, but five games remaining that we can certainly get something from against Newcastle, Burnley, Norwich, Watford and a potential last day decider against Aston Villa. Three of those are at home, although in the current circumstances home advantage is not really what it was beforehand. And if we don’t get the results then of course we deserve to go down anyway.

Unlike so many on social media I don’t believe that we will be relegated. Brighton may have done enough to pull away, and their odds on being relegated are now a fairly longshot at 14/1. Norwich are 1/50 to go down and it will take a miracle for them to survive, so it looks like it will be two from Villa, Bournemouth, Watford and ourselves to join them. Despite our shortcomings, I still believe that looking at the games remaining we will have enough to save ourselves. I agree with the bookmakers in that Villa (2/9) and Bournemouth (2/5) will go down because of the difficulty of their fixtures. Our relegation odds are 11/8 and Watford are 5/2.

Liverpool were deservedly confirmed as champions today when Chelsea defeated Manchester City although it was inevitable wasn’t it? They won it with seven games to spare, although by clinching it on June 25th it must be the latest date by a long way. The race for European places is still in force which will keep some of the top teams interested in the remaining games, and I’m confident that they will all be doing their utmost to gain the necessary points. Once again the tussle to stay up will produce the most interesting football for the remainder of the season.

We will need to improve in the remaining seven games, and I believe we will. But I am afraid that next season will be another of the same unless there are radical changes at the club. And I’m not confident of that.

Recovery Position: A Sparkling West Ham Victory Sees Them Climb Out Of The Bottom Three For Now. What Did We Learn?

Everything about Saturday’s performance was just so much better than what’s gone before. What are the takeaways that will help navigate West Ham through the remaining games of the season?

The Wisdom of The Crowd

The wisdom of the crowd concept is that although individual members may not be wiser than a single expert, collectively they are.  It is demonstrated frequently in football where fans often have a more realistic take on the value of a player – no crowd would ever have sanctioned the signing of Carlos Sanchez, for example.  The Crowd largely got that their way on Saturday’s team selection, but with an added bonus of the surprise pairing of Michail Antonio and Sebastien Haller leading the line in an enterprising 4-4-2 formation. Throw in the introduction of Jarrod Bowen, a recall for Pablo Fornals and Jeremy Ngakia keeping his place and suddenly there was a team full of running and purpose. The Crowd had realised ages ago that West Ham were too slow in moving the ball forward, too predictable in opening up defences and hopeless at supporting whoever was the unfortunate lone striker. Amazingly, everything finally come together and delivered a deserved and much needed three points.

The Possession Myth

Despite the fine victory not everybody was happy if social media was to be believed. Those who are invested in their views that David Moyes is a dour, clueless Scot or that Haller is moody, French lump refused to have their opinions changed merely by events. Critics will point out that only having 34% possession in a home game is no cause for celebration. Yet, West Ham were able to outperform the visitors 14-10 on goal attempts. Possession, for the sake of it, is not what it is cracked up to be. On this occasion Moyes got the tactics spot on – by going direct it proved an effective counter to Southampton’s high press. The question, though, of whether this high tempo, hard-working, committed style was a one-off tactic or is to be how we will shape up for the rest of the season is a valid one. It won’t work so spectacularly every week and there is still plenty of work to be done in improving ball retention. Overall though, the change of approach made for a very entertaining, as well as a productive, game.

99% Perspiration

As full debuts go, it could not have gone much better for Jarrod Bowen. It was not just his smartly taken goal, welcome as it was, but also the good work he did in all areas of the pitch. Getting forward quickly to support the strikers; not giving up the chase for loose balls; working hard to regain possession when it was lost; and making a last ditch challenge to deny Bertrand a goal scoring opportunity. He looks just the type of player The Crowd want and love. A good, honest, young professional who is hungry for success and knows that working hard as well as possessing great technique is required. I don’t believe these are attributes that only English players have, but it was a breath of fresh air compared to the complacency shown by some of the big-money signings from overseas in the past. Some may feel that a full debut should have come sooner but, on balance, I think Moyes has handled the situation sensibly, given the nature of the previous two games.

The New Mr West Ham

Watching a re-run of the game on TV yesterday I spotted Declan Rice singing along to Bubbles as the teams walked out onto the pitch at the start of the game. Maybe other players were doing the same but not that I saw. Rice has become the backbone of the West Ham team and it would/ will be a great shame if, and when, he leaves in search of the better things that the Hammers cannot offer. While he is here there is no doubting his commitment to the club and cause. We should appreciate him while we can. If Tomas Soucek were to replace Mark Noble in Saturday’s line-up then it would be a team with a far better balance of ability and athleticism – arguably our strongest eleven, even when everyone is fit. Players such as Noble and Robert Snodgrass can still play a part in the squad but no longer as regular starters. The game is far too quick for them now.

The Race For Relegation

It was another interesting weekend in the battle at the wrong end of the table. West Ham are one of the six teams at greatest risk and as satisfying as the win was, performances like Saturdays need to be sustained if safety is to be assured. With most of the teams involved having ten games remaining it is tempting to compare and contrast run-ins – but this can prove misleading as incentives of opposing clubs change with time  – is home to a relegation threatened Watford an easier game, say, than away to Manchester United if Europa League qualification is the best they can hope for by then? In practice there are only two exceptional teams in the league (Liverpool and Manchester City) and West Ham should now be looking to pick up points in each of their remaining fixtures. The bookmakers favour Norwich, Villa and Bournemouth for the drop but I fancy Brighton to succumb. Survival is not a foregone conclusion, but I am breathing a little easier (despite the threat of coronavirus) after the weekend’s events.

Ratings: Fabianski (7), Ngakia (6), Ogbonna (8), Diop (7), Cresswell (6), Rice (8), Noble (5), Bowen (8), Fornals (8), Antonio (9), Haller (8) Subs: Snodgrass (6), Anderson (n/a)