Robbed by VAR as unlucky Hammers lose again

West Ham 1 Notts  Forest 2 

It's a dash from daughter Nell's MA graduation to this six-pointer, where in the cold night air we learn that Wilson isn't in the squad after reports he wants to leave and Taty makes his debut. Todibo and Paqueta return too. I'm joined by Nigel and CQ, Matt and Lisa, and Michael in his Darts red shirt (the band not Luke Littler).

There are big gaps of white seats after the Wolves debacle with many fans having given up. But without the tourists and fainthearts it's the noisiest atmosphere of the season. West Ham start with much more intensity than the pathetic display at Wolves. New signing Taty Castellanos is busy chasing everything up front, Soucek is adding some height to our tiny side, Summerville gets an early shot away and we're getting some tackles in. 

Areola makes a fantastic save to tip over Nico Williams' drive early on. But it's the Hammers who make the early breakthrough. Summerville's inswinging corner is flicked on by Soucek and goes in off the head of Murillo. We're in the lead. What could possibly go wrong? 

Forest are restricted to long-range efforts but are unlucky when Hudson-Odoi hits the bar with a great strike. But generally it's been a good half with the returning Todibo dominant, Fernandes busy in front of the back four and Paqueta knitting things together.

After the break Bowen makes a good burst through but can't keep his shot down. It looks like 2-0 when Walker-Peters' shot deflects off a defender into the path of Jimmy Summerville, who fires home a great strike. That will do his confidence good. But then VAR intervenes and ref Tony Harrington is sent to the screen. Of course he disallows it for a marginal offside against Castellanos. This was way back in the move before a cross and blocked shot and we think of Rutter's Brighton's goal that was allowed at the Amex despite a handball as it was judged to be a new phase of play. 

That's the story of our season. Moments later Forest force a corner, Dominguez beats Castellanos to send a back header looping over Walker-Peters on the line and into the net. "If we don't win this we've gone," says a mournful Michael.

VAR TROUBLE

The referee earns chants of "You don't know what you're' doing!" after he waves play on as Summerville is blatantly fouled by Anderson on the edge of the Forest box. West Ham give it a go. Walker-Peters is played in by sub Pablo to send a low low drive at Sels, with Castellanos' follow-up also being saved. Scarles is starting to lunge-in at left back and Nuno replaces him with Mayers, while Paqueta goes off early due to his back injury.

Mayers plays a fine ball through to Bowen, who hesitates a fraction too long allowing Murillo to get in a block. Five minutes from the end Forest send in a free kick. Areola comes for the ball and misses, rushing into Todibo and Gibbs-White as Soucek heads it away. No-one appeals and the ref plays on, only for sodding VAR to intervene again. Areola's glove has touched Gibbs-White's face and the ref is sent to the monitor again to review and award a penalty. It's a contact game and it's hard to see how Areola could have slowed his momentum.

Areola then earns the ire of Matt by diving when he's often getting beaten by penalties straight down the middle. Sure enough Gibbs-White sends it straight down the middle to send the Forest fans into elation. It's worse when we've played well. Nothing has gone for WHU tonight and it's one point from four winnable games.

At least Ye Olde Black Bull is warm. "There won't be a book in this season," muses Nigel, before pondering the positives of hosting Lincoln and Stevenage, should they go up. At least he's got a heavy metal supergroup to look forward to seeing featuring members of the likes of Angelwitch. The Vicar's Son is staying positive too, as his mum doesn't take down the Christmas decorations until February 2, meaning we can't come down with them until then. Lisa says she quite fancies a mini-break in Bolton. And we'll get more games in the Championship. This is now in Great Escape territory and it doesn't feel like it will happen.

PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6; Walker-Peters 7, Mavropanos 6, Todibo 7, Scarles 5 (Mayers 6); Soucek 7, Fernandes 7 (Potts n/a), Paqueta 6 (Pablo 6), Summerville 7, Bowen 6, Castellanos 6.

We're going down with the Wanderers

Wolves 3 West Ham 0

Hope lasts for three minutes while listening to this on Radio London. Potts has a decent shout for a penalty turned down before Wolves score with their first attack. Magassa lunges in, misses the ball and Mane is away. Walker-Peters is upfield and Hwang Hee-Chan is given too much space by Mavropanos to cross. Fernandes hasn't tracked Arias, who scores with ease.

It's two when Magassa and Potts lose out in midfield again, Mavropanos makes a weak clearance and Magassa catches Mane and it's a penalty. Hwang Hee-Chan duly dispatches it. Only a brilliant save with his foot from Areola denies Arokadare a third.

West Ham are being outfought all over the pitch and the third arrives when Mane gets the wrong side of Magassa, Mavropanos turns his back on the ball and the impressive Mane shoots home a powerful drive for his first Wolves goal.

"We're gonna win the league!" chant the home fans. Then it's "You're going down with the Wanderers!" and "You're nothing special we'll see you next year."

So 3-0 down at half-time to a side that hasn't won all season. There's been a real lack of leadership and desire. Nuno hooks the disappointing Magassa and Potts, bringing on Soucek and Mayers and changing to a back five.

“OMG are we even on the pitch?” asks Lisa on WhatsApp. We’re masking Wolves look like Real Madrid. Nigel thinks we might finish 20th and Nigel’s Wolves-supporting mate Adrian will now surely be breaking any Dry January vows.

Bowen tries an overhead kick from Summerville's cross and that's about it for the second half. Wolves settle for 3-0 though Areola still has to make a couple of decent saves. Wilson stays on all game rather than give Pablo a go and West Ham never look like pulling a goal back and making a game of it.

Nuno looks stunned at the end, apologises and describes the defeat as "embarrassing" and cites a "lack of effort, discipline organisation, responsibility." How could we not have been up for this? The game seemed too much for youngsters Magassa, Potts, Fernandes and Scarles, while Bowen, whom we all love, is too far up the pitch to be an effective captain. The late Billy Bonds would have been grabbing people by the collar demanding a reaction. 

The absence of Paqueta, Todibo, Wan-Bissaka and Diouf is slight mitigation and two new strikers might help, but there's no excuse for the attitude and performance here. If we can't get a result in games like this then the Irons are going down.

Striker light! Hammers sign two up top

You wait all season for one striker and then two turn up at once. Not sure this signing strikers thing will catch on, but such is West Ham's plight that the board has been prompted to act early in the window. Pablo Felipe has arrived for £22 million from Gil Vicente in Portugal. Interestingly his dad Pena is from Brazil and played with Nuno Espirito Santo at Porto, so the gaffer should know a bit about his family background and character. 

The 22-year-old Pablo grew up in Portugal and then Brazil, so has plenty of football culture to fall back on, as well as an impressive beard. It will take time to adapt to the Premier League but the striker has scored ten goals this season and is by all accounts decent at holding the ball up, essential for a counter-attacking side. He might even get some game time at Wolves.

The Irons are also signing Valentin "Taty" Castellanos from Lazio for £25 million. The Argentine forward scored ten times in Serie A last season and twice after returning from injury this time out so let's see what he can do. There's a lot of activity with Fulham's Adama Traore set to be re-united with Nuno and interest in Toulouse's Charlie Cresswell, who might have the leadership qualities and aerial dominance we need at the back.

Meanwhile Niclas Fullkrug has been loaned to AC Milan where he can be "very angry" with an option to sign at the end of the season, and another Steidten folly Luis Gulilherme is set to sign for Sporting Lisbon. If we can get the reported £16 million for Luis that's good business for a player who has done very little in the Premier League since signing.

James Ward-Prowse will also surely depart. I'm not sure what Nuno has against him but he's been treated pretty unfairly. Ward-Prowse is a solid pro who never complains and doesn't get injured. He can take a great corner and even if too slow for central midfield surely deserved a place on the bench rather than being excluded from the squad entirely. 

But overall you've got to say this looks like progress. Now all we have to do is beat a team that hasn't won for 19 games. What could possibly go wrong?

Penalties galore as Hammers let leads slip again

West Ham 2 Brighton 2

It's a 7.30pm kick-off for some reason so it's a dash to Hackney Wick for fireworks and flames before kick-off. The team that meets in caffs has made it from an over-stretched Best Cafe, consisting of Nigel still in Christmas jumper, legendary bassist CQ, Big Sam, Matt and Lisa. 

Nuno starts Wilson for once. Strikers? We remember them. Brighton's Minteh heads a cross into the hands of Areola in an early alarm, but the Hammers start with good intensity. On ten minutes Paqueta plays a typical through ball, Bowen looks to have taken a heavy touch but cleverly nicks the ball past Verbruggen. That's the start we needed.

For half an hour the Hammers play pretty well and Scarles, who is doing well after his Fulham mishap, sends a decent chance wide. But Minteh's speed is a threat and when Fernades misses a clearance Kilman is exposed and the winger goes over his dangled leg. Nigel's favourite player 'Stan' Welbeck makes it 1-1 from the penalty spot as he scores yet again against WHU. 

Two minutes later it's another penalty when Paqueta drags down Dunk as a corner comes in. It's pretty stupid to do this right in front of the referee, though perhaps Paqueta didn't realise he was so isolated and it happens at every set-piece these days. Nuno should surely tell Lucas never to enter his own box. To everyone's relief Welbeck tries a Panenka and hits the bar. There's some argy bargy as Danny gets told to Stan Welbeck and Fernandes is booked.

That miss gives West Ham a lift and when Scarles mishits a shot into the box Wilson controls and shoots only to see his effort blocked by Dunk's outstretched hand. Ref Michael Sailsbury waves play on but VAR sends him to the monitor and it's a penalty. Lucas Paqueta does a heart-stopping skip and jump and sends the keeper the wrong way. So Lucas has made a goal, conceded a penalty and scored a penalty in the first half. 

We can't argue with the entertainment at half-time and the crowd has been noisy under the lights, sensing the urgency of West Ham's plight. Though Matt thinks that Ref Salisbury Wilts under pressure. Nigel eats his lucky chocolate roll. 

The second half begins with the familiar home nerves as West Ham sit back yet again. Todibo has gone off injured which is a blow, though the Greek Bloke does pretty well in his place. Mitoma comes on and causes lots of problems. 

HE'S BEHIND YOU!

The equaliser is another corner catastrophe. Areola gets under the Mitoma's inswinger and can only palm it to Veltman who taps home. Wilson is replaced by Summerville after 63 minutes to a chorus of boos from the Irons fans who want a striker on the pitch. West Ham nearly come back when Bowen gets his head on a Potts free-kick only to see Verbruggen pull off a fine save.

But it's the Tesco Bags who press for the winner as the Irons run out of steam. A nice side-plot is their Turkish Bloke Kostoulas up against our Greek Bloke Mavropanos. The Turkish Bloke fires an effort straight at Areola. Mitoma plays a neat one-two and forces the Fonz into a fine low save while Summerville gets through but shoots straight at Verbruggen. 

Mayers comes on as an emergency right-back when Walker-Peters departs, while Kante comes into midfield and impresses with his strength and energy. But it's tough bringing kids into a relegation struggle. Potts and Paqueta dawdle over a free kick and Brighton break with Rutter forcing another save. In the last minute Areola loses the flight of another corner and the Greek Bloke does well to head off the line.

It's two points dropped although a small relief is that at least we got something from the game and ended the run of three losses. We just can't hold a lead and errors from Kilman, Paqueta and Areola have cost us again.

We brave the chill night to make it to the Eagle where we respect the pint for the final time this year. At least Nuno must now be aware what we need in the window, a striker, defender and perhaps a winger. Let's hope 2026 is a better year for the Irons.

PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6; Walker-Peters 7 (Mayers 5), Kilman 5, Todibo 6 (Mavropanos 6), Scarles 7; Potts 6, Magassa 6 (Soucek 5), Fernandes 6, Paqueta 7 (Kante 6); Bowen 7, Wilson 6 (Summerville 5).

Just relegation for the claret and blue?

West Ham 0 Fulham 1 

Surely this is where West Ham restore some festive spirit. We've converged from all over the country, Lisa arriving on the delayed train from Taunton, Nigel in Christmas jumper from Felixstowe, Big Sam from Wales, Matt from perusing the New Year's Honours List and a tardy Michael, fresh from his first pantomime of the day, Mama Goose at Stratford East Theatre Royal.

Its good to see Pablo Fornals being interviewed on the pitch before kick-off as Nuno starts with an unchanged side and Wilson on the bench. The game kicks off with the fans in a fairly positive mood apart from the festive "Sack the Board!" chants and red cards on 15 minutes. Areola does well to tip over a curling effort from the impressive Harry Wilson, but soon West Ham are on top.

Todibo plays a fine through ball to Jarrod Bowen, whose shot is tipped away by Leno. Ollie Scarles plays another good ball behind the Fulham defence to Bowen, whose low shot is tipped round the post by Leno, only for the offside flag to be raised. Potts plays in a free kick and Kilman does well to head back to Jimmy Summerville, whose goalbound shot is deflected wide.

West Ham are playing fairly well and showing some desire. Walker-Peters and Scarles are slotting in well in place of Wan-Bissaka and Diouf, while Magassa is strong in the tackle and Paqueta and Fernandes are busy in midfield. There's a scare before the break as Andersen's long-range shot is blocked by Areola's foot and Todibo does well to get to the rebound first. 

At half-time Matt is still confident we'll win even if Nigel has forgotten his lucky banana. In an interval trivia outbreak, Nigel asks us who was the first Frenchman to play for West Ham and is mightily impressed when Matt answers David Terrier. 

The second half sees Callum Wilson come on after 56 minutes, replacing Summerville, who has just dawdled over a shot rather than shooting first-time. The former Leeds man is still struggling to produce an end product. Magassa shows a new side to his game bursting down the right to force Leno into a parrying his cross-shot, though a defender clears under pressure from Wilson. 

Paqueta has a shot straight at the keeper and continually tries to thread through intricate passes, but Fulham remain strong at the back. Magassa makes another fine run down the right, pulling back for Bowen to poke just wide when he should probably score. Wilson is giving the side a focus and after good work from Fernandes and Paqueta he breaks to get away from Cuenca and fire narrowly wide. There's yet another chance when Bowen sets up Wilson, who fires wastefully over.

It looks like West Ham will have to settle for a point from a game they could have won, that is until five minutes from the end. Fernandes heads away from goal but then Scarles slices and misses his clearance on the left. Wilson crosses instantly and Jimenez has lost Todibo to head home a simple goal. Poor Ollie has his head in his hands, though we all make mistakes and it's not his fault the team has missed chances.

TRIGGER WARNING

The whole stadium is deflated. George Earthy has replaced Paqueta but can't do much in eight minutes, and nor can Soucek. For the four minutes of added time West Ham tap it around at the back rather than put it in the mixer. For the first time this season I start to think we're really going down. We can't even respect the point. Ollie Scarles leaves the pitch in tears.

We retreat to the Eagle for pints of Old Speckled Hen and then a Wingman that has mysteriously reappeared on draught. Michael is heading off to the Almeida Theatre to see Christmas Day, a play which has trigger warnings for, "male nudity, blood, drug use, dead animals, vomiting, discussion of antisemitism, Islamophobic, anti-Black and antisemitic words, references to the Holocaust, discussion and descriptions of violence and conflict, and references to Gaza, child abuse, bereavement, loud noises, latex and fur." We wonder if West Ham games should also have trigger warnings for false hope, bad language, extreme frustration, tearful defenders, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and references to relegation.

The fan who sits in front of us says he's seen worse in 60 years of games, so we try to think of a comparable season but don't get much beyond the Avram Grant relegation season and the Pardew season in the Championship when we signed endless players like Adam Nowland, Jobi McAnuff, Jon Harley, Malky Mackay and Darryl Powell. 

To cap it all my Tunnock's Caramel Wafer has fallen out of my coat pocket and is retrieved after my departure by Lisa and Matt. It's been that kind of day. Brighton and Wolves now become must-win games, but it's already feeling like it's too late to avoid the drop.

PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6; Walker-Peters 6, Kilman 7, Todibo 6, Scarles 6; Potts 6, Magassa 7 (Soucek 5), Fernandes 6, Paqueta 6 (Earthy 5); Bowen 6, Summerville 5 (Wilson 6).

Manchester so much to answer for...

Man City 3 West Ham 0

No-one expected much from this fixture with Wan-Bissaka and Diouf away in Africa and the Hammers in the bottom three. Still, it's depressing to be a goal down after just five minutes. Looking at the highlights Mateus Fernandes, who has been playing well recently, fails to track Foden as he bursts into the box and crosses for Haaland. Areola saves the Norwegian's first effort but Haaland reacts quicker than Scarles to poke home.

Haaland misses a good headed chance and Rejinders has an effort parried by Areola. The only chance for West Ham comes after good work by Walker-Peters finds Bowen, who fires across the face of Donnarumma's goal. But before the break City get the second as Fernandes tries to dribble out of the box and gets robbed by Cherki, then Haaland is allowed too much space to find Reijnders who fires home.

West Ham do give it more of a go after the break. Summerville gets down the left to fire a low cross-shot at Donnarumma, who gets up well to parry Potts' follow-up, before Fernandes shoots wastefully over. Next Bowen rounds Donnarumma to fire into the side-netting from a tight angle. The Irons' best chance comes as Paqueta plays a fine ball to the breaking Bowen, who beats O'Reilly but fires just wide of the post when he would normally be scoring.

The game is put to bed when Kilman is nutmegged by Savinho and Todibo and Kilman get in each other's way to allow Haaland to shoot home number three. There's still time for Paqueta to find Summerville, whose shot is saved by Donnarumma's face. After that City nearly get a fourth as Haaland misses an inviting chance for a hat-trick.

So it ends 3-0 and with Leeds thrashing Crystal Palace 4-1 the Irons are six points adrift in the bottom three at Christmas. Though to be positive the Hammers created three good chances at City, who could well win the league. But it's results that count and the next four games against Fulham, Brighton, Wolves and Forest are now more vital than ever. So is signing a new young striker and a big bruising defender. Or failing that we could always get a Christmas Carroll from Dagenham.

Rogers double denies unlucky Hammers

West Ham 2 Aston Villa 3

Matt's bother Adam has arrived from Australia at 7am and despite jetlag come straight to the London Stadium via the Best Meze Cafe. So after travelling 12,000 miles to see the Hammers what could possibly go wrong? 

Before kick-off there's Alvin Martin on the pitch paying tribute to Billy Bonds and a giant Bonds banner unfurled from our stand. Matt and Lisa are fresh from a trip to see Marco Boogers' old club Sparta Rotterdam, while Nigel and Big Sam make up our number with Michael possibly away on Christmas pantomime duties (oh no he isn't!).

Wilson remains on the bench with Bowen and Summerville playing in front of Paqueta. It's a good atmosphere and the best possible start as after 29 seconds Mateus Fernandes dispossesses a dawdling Konsa and fires past Bizot from a tight angle. Perhaps a fit Martinez might have done better, but it's a great finish from the Portugeezer.

As ever the Irons can't keep a lead. Eight minutes later a fairly simple cross comes into the box and it looks to us as if Watkins has scored with a great glancing header, though it is in fact a Mavropanos own goal. It's a bit unlucky for Dinos, who had to go for the ball but just got under it.

The crowd stay with the Hammers and West Ham regain the lead. Paqueta plays a great ball to Diouf on the left, who claims for a handball from his first cross, but quickly crosses again. From the headed clearance Potts shoots and Bowen deflects it in with a good striker's finish. There's a VAR check but Diouf is ruled onside.

Rogers curls an effort wide but at the break Villa haven't had a shot on target. It's a long time since we've scored twice in the first half and Nigel reflects that it's maybe our best half of the season, with Potts, Magassa and Fernandes nullifying the Villa midfield. Meanwhile we're joined at half time by Steve the Cornish Postie, who seems a bit of a part-timer only coming from Cornwall compered to Adam's trek from Oz.

SNATCHING DEFEAT...

Villa are quick to level after the break. Paqueta loses possession with a careless flick in midfield, Tielemans goes down the wing and crosses for Rogers, who has lost Wan-Bisakka, to control smoothly and stroke home.

At 2-2 it could go either way. Malen has a shot parried by Areola. Paqueta plays a clever through ball to Bowen who slots into the corner only to be ruled offside by an elbow via VAR. West Ham look to win it as Jimmy Summerville wriggles though the box to fire into the side-netting and several corners come to nothing. 

But on 79 minutes Potts and Magassa have stepped forward a little too far and Lindelof finds Rogers in space 30 yards from goal. The England man fires home a hypersonic missile of a shot. The spirit of Fraser is telling us that no keeper should be beaten from outside the box, but in fairness to Areola the ball has swerved and dipped viciously in the air.

We now allow Nigel to don his lucky hat and eat his lucky banana, but it seems inanimate objects may not save our season. West Ham huff and puff as Wilson is brought on too late and Soucek, Kante and Rodriguez arrive in the 88th minute. Rogers fires across goal and one promising WHU free kick ends up with the ball with Areola rather than being played into the box.

A draw would have been a fairer result but the Hammers have to tighten up defensively. Leads have slipped against Bournemouth, Brighton and Villa and it's worse when we've played ok overall. You wouldn't trust Nuno's men to walk your dog. Though it has to be remembered that Villa are a fine side challenging for the title and this is their ninth successive win.

We head to the Eagle where there's now Wingman on tap and Won't Get Fooled Again on the jukebox. We wonder if this might be a subliminal message to Adam, who confesses that he's never seen West Ham win in all his years of travelling back from Australia.

After the seemingly inevitable loss at Man City a run of winnable games comes up with the Irons playing Fulham, Brighton and Forest at home and Wolves away. That will surely define our season as will the hunt for a striker and defender in January.

PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6; Wan-Bissaka 5, Mavropanos 5, Todibo 6, Diouf 7; Potts 7 (Soucek n/a), Magassa 7 (Wilson 5), Fernandes 8, Paqueta 6 (Rodriguez n/a); Summerville 6 (Kante n/a), Bowen 7.