Cry Foul AZ...They Don't Like Their Own Medicine!

Football is still played on a pitch as far as we can make out and yet there are certain clubs who have taken their 'digital philosophy' to a new level whereby everything is looked at in 'AI' detail to determine the best way to get a result, irrespective of what it entails.

When Dutch team AZ arrived at the London Stadium it was clear from the off that their game plan was to frustrate and waste time on a truly industrial scale and for the first part of the game it worked! It was ugly on the  eye but the visitor's were quite content to play out a draw until they went ahead courtesy of Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola's 'De Gea' moment in goal that gave them a surprise lead that they didn't deserve!

The referee should have been wearing blue instead of black, that way he could have shown even more allegiance to the Dutch. Home fans are ALWAYS partisan when it comes to the match day officials, but yesterday's ref took things to another level entirely.

In the end Hammers won through and will take a slender one goal lead to the second tie due to be played next thursday evening, the home side WILL have to play but will be hoping for a penalty shoot out at least as it is a speciality of theirs, IF the match does go to Pens then David Moyes may well wish to bring on Lukasz Fabianski as a penalty sub which is of course totally allowed in Euro Cup competitions.

AZ employed ALL the dark arts they could, it will be interesting to see how much they 'like it up 'em' in the return leg. They exhibited signs that they can be 'got at' if they hadn't had the ref completely on their side, fortunately the next tie will NOT have the same ref so there is hope that things will even themselves up, if that IS the case then Hammers should be looking forward to the final in Prague!

A message to AZ, don't poke the beast unless you want to see it's teeth! - Ed