LAST HOPES
West Ham 0 Leicester City 2
‘You’re going down with the Forest.’
Just a few weeks ago West Ham were anticipating back to back wins that would lift them out of the bottom half of the table and into a position where they might consolidate a decent finish to the first half of the season. As it is, exit from the League Cup and defeat in the last minute against Crystal Palace last Sunday seem to have returned London Stadium to its 2016 status as an East End morgue.
So where has it all gone wrong? Well somewhere along the way Gianluca Scamacca has metamorphosed into Sébastien Haller, and West Ham now find themselves in a Groundhog Day striker situation. Michail Antonio still has the strength, but not the pace, and his judgement on whether to pass, cross or shoot has also been seriously challenged. Plus he is AWOL today with no clue to be found as to what he’s up to…
Another puzzle is that last season Hammers’ ability to spread the ball across to either side of the pitch, finding players in space at will, seems to have disappeared. The midfield is now always road blocked and forward passes go astray or are blocked and ricochet in the opposite direction. Rice’s ability to turn defence into attack appears to have been telegraphed by every opponent.
As early as the 8th minute, Leicester reveal a weakness in pace and judgement from Thilo Kehrer, and the ensuing break and shower of short accurate passes in the Hammers’ defence ends in Harvey Barnes’ cross being side footed into the roof of the net by James Maddison. Maddison’s midweek call up to the England World Cup Squad in Qatar has clearly continued to enrich his mid-season form, and when he is prematurely substituted in the 25th minute, a third of the way into the game – he already looks like the match winner.
Hammers are carrying an early injury setback after Zouma is replaced by Aguerd, so are twice unsettled early on in a game they need to win to avoid three home reverses in a single week. After a clever but easily fielded header from Paquetá is caught under the bar by Danny Ward, Leicester begin to build again, and Patson Daka’s run is abruptly curtailed by Dawson’s challenge in the area. Although West Ham break away and Leicester finally look vulnerable as they are committed up front, the referee calls the players back to Dawson’s challenge and promptly awards a penalty to the east midlanders. To go two down just before half-time is unthinkable, and Fabianski is of the right mindset to repudiate the unthinkable, diving to his right to keep Tielemans’ effort out.
Hammers are a little more fluid just before the break, but Leicester’s defence holds firm and keeps their opponents at bay.
The second half does not produce the revived home onslaught that fans have clearly hoped for. ‘Your support is fucking shit!’ Leicester fans opine, not unreasonably, but they’re not the ones contemplating three defeats in a week.
Towards the end, the Souček for Benrahma substitution repeats itself for the second time in a week, but this time Souček receives an ovation commensurate with this afternoon’s dogged performance. He often appears top of the stats in terms of tackles and completed passes, but Moyes still finds himself kow-towing slightly to those who would remove Souček from the starting line up altogether.
Leicester decide on a couple of late consolidator substitutions whose appearance seal the victory.
This is a season where West Ham have suffered 0-2 home reverses against three teams who wear blue; Manchester City, Brighton and Leicester. Everton are still to visit early next year.
1 Lucasz Fabianski, 3 Aaron Cresswell, 4 Kurt Zouma, 15 Craig Dawson, 24 Thilo Kehrer, 22 Saïd Benrahma, 28 Tomas Souček, 41 Declan Rice (captain), 11 Lucas Paquetá, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 7 Gianluca Scamacca
Substitutes: 27 Nayef Aguerd, 8 Pablo Fornals
