Hammers overcame the club's six year opening Barclays Premier League voodoo with a resounding, albeit hard fought, 4-2 victory at St James' Park. The home team, roared on by a packed 50,000 crowd of Geordie supporters, bossed the 1st half for significant periods, they snatched their opening goal courtesy of who else but Irons nemesis Calum Wilson.
The player who just loves scoring against West Ham headed home Allan Saint-Maximin's cross after just 5 minutes following some chaotic defending by a very rusty looking back line. Dawson had a very difficult game, constantly getting skinned by the Newcastle front men and wide players.
Instead of wilting under the cauldron of pressure, Hammers stuck to their task and were rewarded by an equaliser midway through the half after a VAR review ruled Aaron Cresswell's cross come shot had gone all the way into the net untouched, despite the flag initially going up against Jarrod Bowen for offside.
Newcastle regained the lead just before the break when Jacob Murphy nodded in Matt Ritchie's cross, again as a result of poor defending, a better team could have been 3 or 4 up by then!
Early in the 2nd half Pablo Fornals was viewed to have been fouled by Murphy inside the box for what was a very 'soft' penalty. Antonio stepped up, but saw his penalty kept out by debutant keeper Freddie Woodman, however Tomas Soucek reacted quickest to the rebound to put Hammers ahead for the first time.
Minutes later Benrahma headed in a beauty and after that it was virtually one way traffic as the Irons ran the Toon defenders ragged. Benrahma was almost unplayable at times and was part of a dominating Hammers front line.
Antonio then wrapped up the win, driving in a corker of a shot for his 47th Premier League goal for the Irons, equalling Paolo di Canio's record in the competition for the club.
At the end of the day it was a clinical high energy performance once the early cobwebs had disappeared, Declan Rice was immense, but all the players were 'up for it' and proved the team's traditional soft centre is getting a lot harder, the team no longer look terrified when under the cosh, ever!
There will be much sterner tests ahead, but at least the club have got rid of the very unwelcome start of season record. This is a David Moyes's West Ham team, moulded in his image and hewn from hard work, they play a different toon. LN
Comments
The thing that I liked
twice we went down and came back, a couple of seasons ago that would have seen us pack it in. Moyes is building something we can all be proud of, he only needs a few more quality players.
Bang on alby ,can start with
Bang on alby ,can start with Les ,he filled a masive hole for us but now its time to drop to the 2nds ,thanks mate but you looked a bit like a rabbit caught in the headlights
Bossed?
Sorry i totally disagree with you there....we gave away two sloppy goals but we had the better of both halves and Bruce probably could not believe his luck they went in 2-1 up.....we looked the more dangerous team we just did not convert our possession into goals until the second half......Newcastle struggled to cover the runs of Benny the Fornicator The Beast and Bowen and we could of and probably should of had two further goals but lets not greedy but saying they bossed the first half i'm sorry but not having that.
Yes. Newcastle looked a
Yes. Newcastle looked a threat going forward but we were the team that looked like we had ideas. To be fair Toons first wasn’t really sloppy, it came from n immense bit of skill. But at no stage did they “Boss”
Jim Bowen
If yer using nicknames, surely Bowen has to be Jim...nothing in this game for two (or was it 3) in the bed...our fitness won the day big time. Whoever is in charge of proceedings needs a bloody big pat on the back...
Was there today and being
Was there today and being downright honest Newcastle were the better side first half albeit not quite dominant, we did have chances but so did they we could have been all square at h-t but then again we could easily have been 1-3 down.
I think Bowen played his best
I think Bowen played his best game yet today ,that little run in the box deserved a goal
Defending for the 2nd goal
Defending for the 2nd goal was almost comical, we could just not clear our lines. Not all teams will have Maximam's level of trickery, he caused quite a few probs in the final third. On balance though we deserved the win. More clinical in front of goal although Antonio did his best not to score hitting the post with a header and then not the best penalty but stuck to his task and was rewarded. Definately more steel about this team than many a year gone past and that is making us difficult to beat. Just need to be harder to break down. Need 4 players, CM, DM, LB and FWD minimum. Was a bit alarmed by the amount of strapping on Dec's calf!!
watching m.o.d
last night showed me we don't need money bags Jessie we have an even better player in Benrahma thought his speed passing and all round play was fantastic, on this display we have a little jem on our hands and must be one of the first names on the team sheet, great start for us lets keep it going and as others have said our fitness level was far superior than theirs, happy day's
Picked up where they left off.
It's possible to say this now: West Ham are a GOOD team. It has taken many, many years to build. From the Icelandic Owner's bankruptcy, to the Tevez Saga, to relegation, to Allardyce, to the London Stadium and all the way to now, it has been a slow, uneven, sometimes painful rise, but here we are: a very competitive, exciting team that can mix it with anyone. I went into the Newcastle match with familiar dread: the lads seem to hate going up North, with the rain and the cold and now St James Park full of Geordie fans. And then went 1-0 down, and came back. 2-1 down and came back. Then 2-3, 2-4 and it was looking like the only team to score again would be WHUFC. They never lost composure and never once really looked like they would lose that match. My my, how far we have come!!! Wish Bowen had scored because he slid through their defense so beautifully.
J Rod and Sid Benrahma what a
J Rod and Sid Benrahma what a double act, J Rod & Sid the new Batman & Robin.......