Nuno Espirito Santo’s side faced a damning 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa as his squad appeared nothing but tired heading into the final game before the international break, and for once, it seems to have come promptly for West Ham.
Without beating around the bush too much, it’s a miserable defeat and one with little to no positives. Nuno’s side struggled from the off, seeing as Jean-Clair Todibo’s calf injury, which he had sustained in the warm-up, saw Freddie Potts introduced. Whilst Freddie wasn’t too bad himself, it annihilated the gameplan the Hammers had set out to achieve, and from Villa scoring the first, it all avelanched down.
Chances were minimal, mindsets were down. Nuno and Paco’s side weren’t able to formulate any chances of serious intent, unless you want to narrow it down to Pablo’s halfhearted attempt in the box.
In reality, West Ham are lucky it wasn’t more - Konstantinos Mavropanos saved at least three goal scoring oportunities, closing the game out at two-nil, but it very easily could’ve been four or five had he not been involved.
Whilst Mavro might’ve been the positive of the match, the same cannot be said for unbothered Bissaka, who had a woeful performance this afternoon, strolling around and almost refusing to run and at one point chased Morgan Rogers for his shirt, a performance of comedy, not courage.
The best positives that can be found are the factors surrounding the game rather than the 90 minutes themselves.
The timing of the international break will see Crysencio Summerville as well as Jean-Clair Todibo returning to the first team, allowing Nuno to go back to the 4-4-2 formation, which has had the highest win percentage for the Hammers this season.
Additionally, the Hammers return from the international break with two home matches, one against Leeds United in the cup on Easter Sunday, which could be an opportunity to gain a world of confidence, whilst on Friday evening we take on Wolves, which could ultimately decide our season, and three points at the Bowl could help bolster our survival chances significantly.
Nottingham Forest, unfortunately, annihilated the Spuds in a 3-0 victory, meaning West Ham remain 18th on 28 points, whilst Spurs are sat in 17th on 29.
It’s very easy to be all doom and gloom after this afternoon’s result - but the fact of the matter is that West Ham have only lost three in the last ten, have closed down a ten-point gap to one and finally have now recovered from all injuries, including our star man Summerville.
Bubbles were miserably burst today, but our dreams were not all crushed. Seven games to go.
Comments
Let's face it
Away to villa was never gonna be easy. They are on poor run but they are quality side, way better than us.
Chalk it off n concentrate on wolves n palace. Those are winnable and with spurs still in free fall we can suck them in
Sorry VAR
I dont see Wolves as an obvious Winnable game... They are REAL disruptors.
Well
Let me put it this way, if we lose to wolves again we have had it
Agreed, have to go all out
Agreed, have to go all out for the cup too. I'll take the cup all day long. Irons at Wembley has to happen!!
Strangely I agree Boogers
I think I am resigned to Chumps League next season so what better than a couple of Wembley trips!
Two Wembley's and a Funeral.. Hugh Grant up front with Andie MacDowell and Kristin Scott Thomas in midfield :o)
I was at the game.
I was at the game.
Now that the dust has settled a few points from my humble observation.
First of all our support, as always brilliant! Lots of songs, really got behind the team, brilliant. I was optimistic, we had previously shown character, fight and intensity, all the qualities that Spudz lack.
Annoying the warm up injury for Todi but the move to add another midfielder didnt work. You could see even watching the warm up we lacked intensity, I mentioned it at the time. The attitude was already not in keeping with previous games.
First half we were not at the races. Villa played the highest press I have ever seen, they pressed us into no more than a sixth of the pitch. Emery had done his homework, he knew Pabs and Taty are not so quick and not great with back to the goal. With no Jimmy we had little options in facing up and sorry to say it......... No Paqueta to thread a pass we were in trouble. Fernades & Potts dont have his imagination and struggled to find willing front runners.
First half we should have been going in 5 or 6 down but for the magnificence of Mavropanos and some great stops from Hermansen.
Second half slightly better, we had more shape and options. Until their second goal, poor work by Bowen losing the ball and a howler from Mads, I thought we were getting back in the game.
No point in slagging off individuals, numerous as they were, collectively we were poor.
The international break and the FA Cup means we sit and ponder. Wolves is another "must win" and I feared them more than Villa before yesterday's game as they play with freedom and totally untroubled. Im worried :o(
System change
Ok Todibo got injured in the warm up so your gameplan goes out the window a bit but it cannot be an excuse and yes yes i no what i am about to say will need me donning the tin hat but if the plan was to play 3 at the back then Kilman was there(i no i feel dirty even saying it)so the plan could of still been used...but to choose Potts instead of an attacking option well that just played even more into Villas hands.
We are at the stage in the season where we have to WIN games not try and hold out for a point and we all no that we are better going forward than defending so FFS NUNO the next four league games tough as they are we can win them all and probably save our bacon doing so but sitting back trying to counter is not the way to go.....Wolves not easy but we have to start quick get an early goal and the crowd will be with the players...Palace right now you do not no how they are going to play but we can certainly beat them Everton no doubt the media will be all over it because of you no who! returning....for me Brentfords the awkward one specially the way they went out of the cup so games we can win but the right mentality has to be there in all four..we do have the players we now need Nuno to be brave..COYI lets relegate the Spuds
No tin hat required Mc
Agree... stick to the system!
Also fear a Brentford wanting revenge :o(