Hearing the half-time score during the interval at the Ian Dury musical at the Stratford Theatre Royal it was hard to find many Reasons To Be Cheerful. Yet as we leave the play Matt texts to say that he never doubted Captain Bilic for a minute. Knock me down with a feather, it's almost like Clever Trevor Brooking has returned and we've beaten Spurs' Blockheads 3-2.
West Ham's midfield failed to track Sissoko for the first and Alli's second took a bit of a lucky deflection off Rice's head. Adrian had to produce a great save to deny Alli's header and Spurs were cruising at the break. Who knows what Bilic said at half-time? It was almost like the players felt things could't get any worse, they finally got angry and decided to give it a right go.
OGGY OGGY OGGY!
Suddenly Ayew started to look like a striker, poaching a goal after a stinging shot from Fernandes was parried. The equaliser was a great move, Carroll found Lanzini with a precision header and Manuel controlled in an instant to play in Ayew who swept home from the six-yard line. And then incredibly Ogbonna rose above a static Spurs defence to head home a corner. Three goals in 15 minutes. As Ian Dury might put it, "Oi! Oi!"
The Irons hold on for a memorable victory as Spurs play like they have eaten a dodgy lsagna at half-time. Full-Time Matt's verdict is that the whole team bar Adrian and Lanzini played poorly in the first half but, "all were fantastic in the second half, especially Ayew, Lanzini, Cheikhou and Cressy. Noble put in a real captain's performance after he was fired up by some handbags with Dele Alli." Strangely Matt then celebrated not with Sex and Drugs and Rock'n'Roll but a nice cup of herbal tea.
AYEW SERIOUS?
Of course it could all go wrong again if WHU get tonked at Palace and we have to remember that there was no Kane for the Harry Kane Team, but it's a huge win that will really improve confidence. Bilic should stick with some of these players. The likes of Ayew, Noble, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Adrian and Fernandes must now all think they have a strong case for starting at Selhurst Park.
One final note: with an attendance of just 36,000 surely Spurs could have given West Ham more than 5000 tickets? What a Waste…
2 comments:
I've been at the London Stadium where it's been fairly empty at full time, but honestly I've never seen anything like the exodus of Biblical proportions by the Spurs fans. Bilic has some very big decisions to make for Palace. Only Reid, Zab, Chiekhou and Manu are sure of their places, along with Antonio if fit. But Adrian or Hart? Cresswell or Messi-aku? Oggy or Fonte? Nobes, Obiang, Fernandes in centre mid? Ayew, AC, Chicharito up front. Arnie anywhere? I think we're going to win, though...
I think stick with most of the side that won at Spurs… Hopefully you could see the Spurs fans sneaking out.
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