AWAY POINT THE LADS
West Ham 1 Newcastle United 1
They say that there has been a major fall in the evidence of shoplifting in Newcastle since the arrival of the new Saudi owners, but whatever your view of the take over, no one can argue against the feel good factor that a major injection of cash may bring to a new club. Even if those providing it have a human rights record that would be the envy of Heinrich Himmler.
This team from a black and white world are playing with confidence and belief, two qualities that currently seem in short supply behind the doors of London Stadium. It’s extraordinary pre-match to discover just how few people are predicting a home win. Most are saying ‘draw’ which seems a fairly safe prediction. And who would be a hedge fund manager, anyway?
West Ham look a little tired in the first twenty minutes of the game, but slowly begin to string their play together, and when they open the scoring from a neat header from Craig Dawson from a whipped in free-kick by Aaron Cresswell, it looks as though they are back in the groove. It soon proves to be another visit from False Dawn, when in first half injury time a poor clearance from Damien Rice of all people is gleefully steered home by Joseph Willock, the ball just crossing the line after Fabianski’s desperate efforts to keep it out.
Eddie Howe and the Paymasters appear to have sucked the life out of the game in a rather miserable second half that stresses the cost of Rice’s first half mistake. It is indeed the Geordies who will exit this game happier with a point than the Hammers, who have missed a genuine chance to put a rein on guaranteeing European football for 2022-23, whatever happens in the Europa League later this season.
