A game of two halves, a performance of relegation quality. A splendid first half from the Hammers with little to no fault, a half where Nuno set his side to defend but in a controlled manner, in a way which played Chelsea at their weaknesses and before you knew it, West Ham were 2-0 up at the break.
However, West Ham have struggled in the second half; it’s certainly not a new phenomenon and tonight has shown exactly that for the now heatbroken Hammers.
Nuno made the executive decision to substitute Max Kilman whilst the score was 2-1 to West Ham and unsurprisingly, the game ended 3-2 to Chelsea. Mavropanos being at fault prowesing as a Greek statue and refusing to jump for the ball, allowing Joao Pedro to score, with Max Kilman then taking credit for the other two, the second one being a tad unlucky, but the third one in extra time where he drifts away from the forward, giving them all the neccassiry means to make a pass and bang into the back of the net.
It’s simple Football in which the Hammers can’t work out. Why Nuno’s side consistently plays defensive Football whilst leading in a match, as the club doesn’t have the capabilities to do so. The players aren’t able to soak up the pressure to a successful level, and it’s not hard to tell that, on a countless number of occasions this situation has happened, and it’s ultimately Nuno throwing away crucial points which can effectively keep West Ham in the league.
That’s now 18 points lost from losing positions this season and it isn’t a surprise in the slightest. Garry Neville must be eating his hat after saying “You wouldn’t believe that this is a side in the bottom three”… you might be believing now!
Chelsea have never ever come back from being 2-0 down at the Bridge at halftime ever in their history, that has now changed.
To make matters worse, not only are vital points missed out on, but Jean-Clair’s French bust-up alongside Adama Traore as his cagefight partner decided enough was enough as Cucurella was sent to the floor and Joao Pedro was strangled. The Spaniard managed to hide away from VAR, but Todibo’s sending off has now left the Hammers to endure cataclysmic Kilman for five further games with no replacement in sight.
A half which was full of sunshine, rainbows and promising, admirable Football to a lacklustre, negative and half hearted Football. - LN
Comments
True Louis the second half
True Louis the second half was forecast able ,I saw it coming,I don't think it was because they ,or Nunes decided to play defensively,everyone could see they were well creamed ,hence he took off Pablo and put on Kilman trying to hold on too 2. 1 .
Hope this doesn't affect the players ,we were text book old West ham in the 1st ,it must have seemed too them they were invincible.
Poor Tactical Substitutions by Nuno
Taking off Pablo and bringing on Kilman ruined it. It was obvious we had lost the midfield in the second half and THAT was what needed reinforcing. Should have bought on Potts or Magassa in my opinion but at the end of the day, bringing on KIlman should not be an option for ANY ins and outs. Bringing on Scarles made not the slightest difference and Traore for Bowen just stopped the Wan Bissaka one man show show in its tracks.
Nuno, just a slight tweak in midfield was all it needed. A little reinforcement. At least we won the punch up
Well
Hindsight always provides easy way to criticise. If im not mistaken he brought on Kilman at 2.1 when was obvious Chelsea were all over us n our attackers had run out of steam. It's not a bad tactic away from home, just sadly kilman is a shadow of the player he was.
You know Traore has gone way
You know Traore has gone way up in my estimations. I've been wanting to see someone do that to that hairy little klint Spaniard. The chelsea players were shaking in their boots when Traore squared up to them. What a unit he is. Nuno got this one wrong the Kilman substitution killed us.
Killman mistake
We went in at half time 2-0 this and for the 3rd time this season we were 2-0 up and just threw it away I wonder what NES says to the players at half time it certainly don't seem to fire the players up- and we just couldn't hang on, and slowly but surely Chelski got back into it as soon as I saw Cucurella come on I was looking for that little Twat to wind everybody up hes done it a couple of times and if i remember rightly another WHU player got sent off over his antics a couple of seasons ago but I dont know what possesed Nuno to play Killman, I get it he wanted to hold on to our 2-1 but Potts was the obvious choice nobody seems to have any confidence in Killman and I was hoping he would be sold but we cant sell him now after losing JC and that aint going to bode to well, the only slight advantage is that one of his missed games will be against Burton Albion in the FA cup its real shame because once again we played so well in the 1st half. If we don't beat Burnley next week then I think that could be relegation and our little miracle of 3 in a row will all be for nothing.
Yep about sums it all up CI..
Yep about sums it all up CI..