It's an early start to catch the 7.30am bus from our holiday cottage in Grasmere. Then on to Windermere station, a train to Oxenholme then another train to Euston, then the tube. All for a trip to see a top London side — and also West Ham.
There's been a demo against Sullivan and Brady before the game, the fans rightly exasperated that the Irons are less professional in recruitment than Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford, Fulham and Crystal Palace among others.
Inside a humid London Stadium Nigel is wearing three layers and has been to see Spinal Tap in the hope that West Ham can up the volume to 11. Alison has escaped Farage-land to join us in place of Michael the Whovian, who has gone down with a bout of West Ham-related nihilism. Foul-weather fan Alison reveals that her partner Biff has chosen the entire Palace defence for his Fantasy Football line-up, which will surely ensure we lose. Lisa and Matt have come via watching the WHU kids and the Best Meze Cafe, with Matt sporting a BAC-sponsored shirt from the days of the Championship and Trevor Morley. BAC means Back As Champions? Could be useful for next season.
Potter has dropped Hermansen for Areola and Wilson starts up front. Jimmy Summerville has a couple of decent runs down the left and Henderson has to punch away a dangerous Ward-Prowse corner. But a warning comes as Palace win two headers in the box as Kamada nods wide.
Almost inevitably West Ham's glass jaw is exposed at a Palace corner after 37 minutes. Geuhi gets above Kilman and Areola tips his header on to the bar. Mavropanos has gone back on the line rather than pick up Mateta, who heads home. The home crowd don't even seem that angry.
Just before the break West Ham produce the best move of the game as Paqueta and Diouf combine to release Summerville, who plays a fine ball to Wilson in front of goal. But instead of shooting first time Callum tries to turn inside and gets tackled. Matt sees the ghost of Danny Ings, a player who would have gobbled up such chances a few years previously.
The sun comes out for the second half as Palace almost make it two as another corner sees Lacroix head against the bar. But West Ham come forward to win two corners. As Diouf sends the second corner in Bowen strolls away from his marker to angle in a delicate header to equalise.
West Ham have a good spell for 15 minutes as we wonder if Potter has maybe thrown his ballpoint pen across the dressing room in exasperation at half-time. The crowd get behind the side as Diouf gets forward well and Ward-Prowse is also having a decent game. Paqueta has a dangerous cross hacked away and Walker-Peters forces a low save from Henderson.
SACKED IN THE MORNING?
Just as things are improving Palace go ahead. Wharton chips in a cross that the Greek Bloke does reasonably well to head away. But the ball falls to defender Mitchell who volleys hame an unstoppable effort with his wrong foot. Potter has become an unlucky manager as well as an unconvincing one.
Things turn nasty as the injured Summerville goes off for Guilherme and Magassa replaces Fernandes. The crowd don't like Fernandes going off and chant, "You don't know what your doing!" at the beleaguered Potter. The Bobby Moore Stand also joins in with the Palace fans chant of "Sacked in the morning!", which you don't like to hear.
The subs make the Irons worse. Fullkrug tries to rough up the Palace centre backs with little effect, Guilherme can't get into the game and Magassa struggles to adjust to the pace. Palace see the game out without looking in danger.
The rain and wind arrives as we trudge towards the Eagle with Nigel's extra layers now looking prescient. Potter's job is surely on the line now. You don't like to see managers sacked but it's the way we're losing that is worrying. Nuno Espirito Santo is the name being mentioned, a good gaffer though is he the man to fire up the fanbase?
At least the Eagle has Spitfire in the fridge as Matt tries to cheer us up by asking us to name all West Ham's Portuguese players. We go through Porfirio, Dani, Futre, Fonte and a few others, though for the full list you'll have to consult Matt's mind palace. It wasn't really worth getting up at 6.30am for this. It was a better performance at times but if you can't defend set pieces you won't stay in the Premier League. As the Stranglers might put it, something better change.
PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6; Walker-Peters 6, Kilman 5, Mavropanos 5, Diouf 7; Ward-Prowse 6, Fernandes 6 (Magassa 5), Paqueta 6, Summerville 6 (Guilherme 4); Bowen 7, Wilson 5 (Fullkrug 5).
2 comments:
Never mind firing up the fanbase, a few points on the board would do! It's been mentioned before..Curbs, Sam, Moyes etc...top half finishes are boring according to some. And getting soaked on the way home was the last straw!!
Agreed MJ, ninth place under Moyes doesn't look so bad now.
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