DAMP QUIP
Southampton 0 West Ham 0
Manuel Pellegrini’s last win as a West Ham manager was at Southampton’s Saint Mary’s stadium in December 2019, after which he stated, ‘Never lose trust in what we do.’ Sébastien Haller, one of the Chilean’s signings, scored a rare winner. But trust was in short supply in those pre-pandemic days, and two weeks later Pellegrini was sacked. Since then, Pellegrini’s replacement David Moyes has taken his West Ham team there to an empty stadium in December 2020, marshalling his side to a 0-0 draw in a game that saw on loan Craig Dawson make his debut. Ralph Hassenhuttl managed that game from his sick bed, but didn’t have any pictures to respond to, just a voice at the end of a phone line. David Moyes’ side had come off the back of a 2-2 draw with Brighton. After the 0-0 result they went to Everton, won 1-0, sold Haller, signed Jesse Lingard on loan and the rest was joy.
No Lingard today, but West Ham are coming off the back of a 2-2 home draw. Spurs have just lost 3-0 at Crystal Palace, so there’s a marked feeling of delighted anticipation in all the Hammers’ fans who have bothered to make the journey to the coast.
The anticipation seems premature in a first half devoid of any genuine scoring opportunities for either side apart from a goalbound effort from Moussa Djenepo being headed out of danger by Craig Dawson, a player who must have his eyes trained on Kurt Zouma on the bench, West Ham’s £25m French international defender. After a year of superb performances for the Hammers, the ex-West Brom and Watford 31 year old defender proves today that losing his place in the first team is unlikely to be a voluntary act.
The second half is marginally more entertaining, Jarrod Bowen unlucky with a near post volley and Armando Broja hitting the post after a mesmerising run. Rice then protected Hammers’ clean sheet, clearing Broja’s near post flick off the line.
All that remains is for Antonio to grab a red card after a wild tackle on Djenepo. He will miss next Sunday’s game against Manchester United. That’s a chance for someone to play the false number nine. Maybe this is how Zouma gets a first team place without ousting Dawson.
1 Lucasz Fabianski, 15 Craig Dawson, 3 Aaron Cresswell, 5 Vladimir Coufal, 21 Angelo Ogbonna, 41 Declan Rice (Captain), 28 Tomas Souček, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 8 Pablo Fornals, 22 Said Benrahma, 9 Michail Antonio
Substitutes: 11 Nikola Vlasic, 7 Andriy Yarmolenko
Sent off: Michail Antonio
