Halloween horror for Hammers

West Ham 1 West Brom 3

Before kick-off there's a giant poppy on the centre circle and The Last Post being played for Remembrance Day, or possibly our promotion hopes. Our gang of faithfuls are present, Matt and Lisa, Nigel and CQ, Michael and Jake the vlogger. The Greek Bloke is injured so in comes young Golambeckis, while strangely Nuno starts with Pablo as the lone striker and Austbo gets a game in place of Solomon.

At least we don't concede after two minutes, as we did against Southampton. We win an early corner but then it all slows down again. This time the Irons wait 20 minutes to go a goal down. A simple long pass from Price beats the offside trap and lands between Kilman and Morato to find Jimmy Morgan. The lively winger crosses to leave Mhyre with a tap-in.

The Baggies threaten to score again as Morgan gets through to set up Price who misses the target and then Morgan sends a free header wide from a corner. The crowd starts to turn, but thankfully CQ is handing out the lucky spicy cinnamon bon bons to help West Ham equalise. Kante does well to spray the ball wide to Bowen on the right who cuts inside to shoot home aided by a deflection off a defender.

Asbo has a couple of decent runs and shows a turn of pace, but the half ends at one-one. After half-time banter with Tom Peck, we return to out seats in time to see the Baggies take the lead. A cross comes in, Golambeckis lunges in and misses the ball, allowing Myhre to set up Morgan who calmly scores. Engels could have been tighter on his man too.

West Ham are chasing the game once more, but do briefly threaten to equalise. Mukasa has a shot blocked and Kilman header from a corner is parried by O'Leary. Sub Solomon sets up Walker-Peters for a shot shot that O'Leary saves again. West Ham still lack intensity and leadership though. Kante and Mukasa might be promising but are young and can't dominate games, while Engels has a bit of a 'mare. While it's clear if you play Pablo he needs striker alongside him.

BAGGIES TROUSER POINTS

Albion's third goal kills the game on 72 minutes as our defence is again trick or treated. From a corner Morato scuffs a clearance and Styles fires home a good connection from the edge of the box with Solomon unable to close him down. 

Michael is overtaken by ennui and wonders if West Ham have finally made him indifferent to pleasure or pain. He reflects that both Southampton and West Brom have keepers who look more assured than Hermansen. While at the round table Matt is considering banishing our entire team. At least Karl, Matt and Lisa's Albion supporting pal, has enjoyed it. And there's a nice sunset.

Nuno has thrown on five subs but we never look like getting into the game. Castellanos blazes a shot over and then sends an overhead kick straight at the keeper and that's it. "Sacked in the morning!" chant the away fans, with some of the home crowd joining in. He won't be gone yet, but if West Ham lose to Cardiff and Blackburn before the international break then Nuno could well be sacked. Though sadly Ted Lasso is still under contract at Richmond FC.

Bizarrely we are the top scorers in the division and unbeaten away while suffering a crisis at home. Drastic measures are required. Scarles deserves a game. There's no ball winner in midfield so Magassa is surely now an option. Soucek needs to start and we need the Greek Bloke back. And with no striker in form is there a case for playing Bowen centrally and shifting Engels to the right? Something has to change. You can't win promotion if you concede three goals at home every week.

PLAYER RATINGS: Hermansen 5; Walker-Peters 5 (Veltman 5), Kilman 5, Golambeckis 5 (Castellanos 5), Morato 4; Bowen 6, Engels 4, Mukasa 5 (Solomon 5), Kante 5 (Soucek 5), Austbo 5; Pablo 5 (Piroe 5).