Fabianski's form not absolutely Fab

There's no disputing that Lucasz Fabianski is a great goalkeeper who had a fantastic season last time round. But he's taking a worryingly long time to play himself back into form after that long lay-off with two hip injuries. Since his latest return he has punched the ball into Ogbonna's head for the first goal against Brighton, conceded the second goal against Man City at his near post and been at fault for two of Liverpool's goals at Anfield. 

West Ham really need Fab to have a solid game against Southampton today. We don't have the luxury of waiting for him to return to form. If there are any more errors today then there has to be a case for bringing in Darren Randolph. So far this season West Ham have conceded at least ten goals from direct goalkeeping errors from Roberto, Martin and Fabianski — we can't afford any more.

Jonathan Calleri: striking genius

Anyone notice that one Jonathan Calleri scored a hat-trick for Espanyol versus Wolves last night? That's the same Jonathan Calleri who looked so poor for West Ham in the first season at the London Stadium and scored just one deflected goal. Why is it players always prosper after leaving West Ham? 

We had Simone Zaza too, who suddenly looked really good after he left. And what are the odds we will sell the misfiring Sebastien Haller who will then go on to become one of the best players in Europe? Even Slaven Bilic is looking a better manager at West Brom. WHU have the anti-Midas touch. Nurse, the screens.

Czech mated

The West Ham injury curse strikes again. Bad news is that Tomas Soucek will be out for three weeks with a groin/abductor injury. David Moyes says he was struggling even to get out for the second half at Anfield, which makes you wonder why he wasn't taken off at half-time. Let's hope the three minutes he played in the second half didn't aggravate the injury. And all this with a player who was very rarely injured before joining West Ham. We could injure anyone. If Tyson Fury joined he would probably trip over his boot laces and be out for the season.

It's the hope I can't take…

Liverpool 3 West Ham 2

We're at the World's End for this one, with Lisa, daughter Lola and Michael The Gooner who is an honorary Iron for the night. Lola has arrived with a Tardis Box set of Christopher Eccleston Doctor Who dvds, which sits on our table as a good luck charm.

The cameras linger on the black balloons and 'This Charmless Man' banners as the WHU fans protest at the kick-off. It looks like we will be in for the predicted thrashing after nine minutes as Alexander-Arnold chases a lost ball to whip in a great cross that Wijnaldum heads home. Fabianski gets a hand to the ball but can't parry it. 

But two minutes later West Ham win a corner and the lucky Tardis works its magic. Snodgrass gets a good pace on the ball and Diop heads home as Alisson fumbles the ball on the line. There's a stunned disbelief from our table as we wait for VAR to deny us. But the goal stands. We've scored a goal! "We're gonna win the League!" chant the West Ham fans.

Liverpool put West Ham under predictable pressure. Fabianski saves well from Salah, Alexander-Arnold fires just wide and Van Dijk heads a corner against the bar. But WHU force a late corner and the half ends at 1-1. The Hammers are playing much much better than at Man City. The team are passing the ball crisply, Anderson provides an outlet even if he does often lose the ball, Soucek is strong in front of the back four, Antonio is causing problems with his pace. Ogbonna has a great game at the back and young Jeremy Ngakia is playing without fear and using his pace to get forward to good effect. 

ABSOLUTELY PAB
The second half sees Soucek go off injured to be replaced by Fornals. We will miss the bouncing Czech's workrate it seems, though suddenly the impossible happens. A very nice passing move sees Rice get in a cross and Fornals sweeps home on the half-volley. Pablo runs to the away fans to perform a salute. We're winning at Anfield. Football, bloody hell. 

For 17 minutes we dream of an incredible victory against a team that never loses. But then Salah strikes a tame shot that goes straight through Fabianski's hands and legs. You have to feel for the keeper who was so brilliant last season. It's a Roberto-esque error and you wonder if Fab is still feeling the effects of his two hip injuries.

GAME OVER, MANE
Can we hold on for 2-2? Antonio finds sub Haller who shoots straight at the keeper when he might have done better. But Liverpool are relentless going forward. A lucky deflection sees the excellent Alexander-Arnold beat Fabianski to the ball and Mane taps home his cross. 

Mane has a fourth goal correctly disallowed for offside and we wonder if we just might make it 3-3. Moyes appears to be drunk as he is throwing on attackers with Bowen added to the fray. Antonio finds the new striker with a great through ball, but a slightly heavy first touch sees him dink the ball into the chest of Alisson. In the last minutes West Ham Cresswell's free-kick results in Noble having a goalbound shot deflected wide for a corner before the final whistle blows. 

I predict that Liverpool might just win the league after this, though the plastic Liverpool fans in the pub have all scarpered at the final whistle. Michael the Thespian arrives from Time and Tide at the Park Theatre, ready to commiserate with us and discuss lyricism in theatrical performance over a Camden Pale or two. 

A cruel loss against a side that is proving invincible but a vastly improved performance. The Hammers must now play with the same intensity and purpose against Southampton. 

First victory against Liverpool completed

Thanks to my pal Matt for tweeting that West Ham's women's side just beat Liverpool 4-2 beneath Ansel Adams skies (is Ansel Tony Adams' brother?) at Rush Green. Something similar will do tonight… 

Hammers need to be positive at Liverpool

West Ham have little to lose at Liverpool on Monday. No one expects the Hammers to get anything so who not ask Liverpool a few questions? Liverpool have to drop points sometime. Moyes has to be less conservative than at Man City. There's no point in signing Bowen for £22m and not playing him. If he can't take pressure then he shouldn't have been signed — and having scored 16 goals this season he'll be feeling confident. While the idea of signing Bowen was surely to give Haller some support, so why not try them alongside each other? 

The other change that is needed is for either Anderson, Lanzini or Fornals (I'd go for Anderson) to come into the side to provide some creative spark going forward. There's no point in playing 90 minutes with the aim of keeping the score down, that's an insult to all the West Ham fans who have travelled to the match. If the Hammers are going to stay up they have to get some points in unlikely places — and that will need a positive attitude in every match. We might get tonked at Anfield, but let's at least give it a go.

Limp Hammers slump to another defeat

Manchester City 2 West Ham 0

Watched this one round at my mate Robert's house, where at least the TV definition was good, if not the team. With five at the back it was clear Moyes had come hoping for a draw or to at least keep down WHU's goal difference.

Early on Jesus dawdles on a chance allowing Fredericks to clear and then Ogbonna is lucky to escape conceding a penalty after grabbing Aguero by his privates. When West Ham do win an early corner they waste it. The Irons sit back and don't press City at all, which results in a training ground game of attack versus defence. Soucek is being bypassed and obviously hasn't faced anything like City before.

There's some hope after half an hour with the game still goalless. But then after a routine corner Rodri flicks on a header that glides past Fabianski. Had there been a man on the post he would have cleared it — it's still baffling why teams don't do this for corners. Fabianski keeps it down to one. Late on the lonely Antonio fires an inviting cross across the box only neither Rice or Snodgrass has gambled to get on the end of it. 

After the interval Rice makes a great early run from his own half to get in a cross but it's an isolated effort. The game is over when Cresswell is turned by Silva and De Bruyne beats Fabianski at his near post — an effort the keeper should have stopped. Fredericks goes off with a nasty-looking shoulder injury and sub Zabaleta is applauded by both sets of fans. 

The rest of the game is embarrassing for West Ham's lack of ambition as Fabianski prevents a third from Jesus. Bowen gets ten minutes at the end but it's bizarre of Moyes not to use a third substitute when Anderson, Lanzini and Haller are all on the bench. And where was Fornals? 

Yes, City are a great side and it's a relief not to get a tonking, but another way of improving our goal difference would have been to pull a goal back. The only slight positive was that Ogbonna and Diop were generally solid. We have to start Bowen alongside a striker and restore Anderson to the side. If West Ham remain this unambitious then we will be going down. The only good part of the evening was switching channels to watch Spurs lose at home to Red Bull...

The start of something at West Ham?

There was a thoughtful piece on West Ham in the Sunday Times last week by chief football writer Jonathan Northcroft. He recalls once being told by Martin Jol that, "Nothing in football is ever as it seems" and despite the club's position he finds an air of optimism at West Ham's training ground. 

Northcroft writes of Kevin Nolan raising morale with his Scouse humour and an air that this could be "the start of something" around Rush Green. He talks to David Moyes, whom he writes seems to get West Ham, with the Scot sensing something of Everton about the club. The new boss talks about changing West Ham's DNA through signing hungry young players and not losing games they are expected to win. Northcroft might have got it wrong of course, but it's good to see something vaguely positive in the press. 

St Valentine's Day Massacre

Thanks, if that's the right word, to my pal Nigel for pointing out that it was 30 years ago today that West Ham lost 6-0 away to Oldham in the first leg of a League Cup semi-final. Even worse I was there. The memories are still vivid, that plastic pitch with its crazy bounces, David Kelly up front, Stewart Robson held together by cycling shorts, Phil Parkes looking bemused, the rain, an open terrace and toilets that made those in Trainspotting look genteel. West Ham made Joe Royle's side resemble Real Madrid. All followed by a horrible drive home down the motorway. Nurse, the VAR screens.

City game back on: Hammers make WSC cover

So much for the winter break. The Man City versus West Ham match is now back on for next Wednesday. Sterling is out, but we now have to play City and Liverpool away in succession. Still, I predict Bowen will tear City apart and then we'll start the inevitable Liverpool collapse by winning at Anfield… possibly. Meanwhile my pal Matt points out that for the first time in living memory West Ham have made the cover of When Saturday Comes. Truly the next level.

Nice work Storm Ciara

Well, a great result at the Etihad. Thanks to the weather this might do West Ham some good psychologically. Had WHU lost to both City and Liverpool heads might have dropped even further. But now no-one expects us to get anything at Anfield so who knows what might happen, and then comes a winnable home game against Southampton. While the City match will now have to played in the midst of a fixture backlog for the Mancunians and Moyes gets a decent spell on the training ground with the squad teaching them how to defend. Good work, Ciara.

Money has been spent by the board, but not well

The owners of West Ham have gone into defensive mode. First they forced a climbdown from Sky Sports' Sunday Supplement and an apology detailing the board's investment in the club. Then came the over-reaction of banning a fan who carried a flag on the pitch while wearing a not-very-obvious "GSB Out" t-shirt. 

Now, as the Premier League has decided to ban fans involved in violent protests from all grounds, David Gold has given quotes to media about the Burnley-match protests and defending the owners' record at the club. Though claiming they take no salary ignores the interest payments Sullivan and Gold receive on their loans, as the Guardian's Jacob Steinberg has pointed out. 

Violent protests can never be condoned, though there is certainly a place for legitimate protest as the club has made very little progress in ten years and many fans remain deeply upset by the stadium move, even if the gates are now 60,000. But it does seem to be poor planning rather than a conspiracy. Martin Samuel wrote a good piece on West Ham in the Daily Mail, pointing out that the board had certainly invested, but very badly. 

If anything Sullivan and Gold panicked after the protests at the Burnley game. If they were happy with David Moyes making slow progress they should have stuck with him. But then they recruited a Premier League-winning A-list manager on a vast salary in Manuel Pellegrini, allowing him to recruit his own director of football and backing him in the transfer market, including signing Jack Wilshere on a three-year contract and hefty wage. 

Big money was spent: £36m on Anderson, £22m on Diop, £18m on Yarmolenko, £7m on Fabianski, £3 million on Sanchez, £45m on Haller, £23m on Fornals. Another £25m has been spent in the window on Randolph and Bowen. But it's all been scattergun and few of the signings have justified their fees, bar Fabianski. Typical of the lack of planning was recruiting Roberto on a free and Jordan Hugill for £8m and then having no idea what to do with him.

West Ham might indeed benefit from having new owners who have a better grasp of strategy and planning and don't keep appointing managers with contrasting philosophies to the previous one. Although in one sense we should be careful what we wish for. For all their money, I wouldn't want Red Bull as owners (we'd probably become Red Bull Hammers) or to support a team that was purchased by, say, the rulers of Saudi Arabia with its terrible human rights record. 

Right now Sullivan and Gold aren't going anywhere and having interviewed David Gold I do think he's a genuine fan. But as he admits, they have made mistakes. Money alone won't solve the problems. Bad investments and appointments have been the club's downfall. We have to hope Moyes can get it right in the remainder of the season and then enact a long-term strategy of investing in young, hungry players. Only then will the ownership seem less of an issue.

Kevin Nolan returns

So Kevin Nolan is returning as first-team coach. For all his associations with Big Sam's direct football, he might well be a decent appointment and is the last West Ham captain to lift a trophy at the Play-Off Final in 2012. His pace had gone by the time he joined WHU but he was always a very effective skipper and certainly knew how to influence referees and get in the way of goalkeepers. Not exactly Academy football, but we need some professionalism at set-pieces. Nolan was also a very good finisher so he might be able to help with our strikers. And if anyone wants to learn how to do a clucking chicken dance to celebrate a goal then Kev's your man…

Total football from Holland

Good to see the on-loan Nathan Holland cause all sorts of problems for the Newcastle defence in last night's FA Cup fourth round replay at Oxford United — the very same ground where earlier this season he was part of the West Ham team that capitulated 4-0 in the Carabao Cup. He was a constant threat on the wing with his runs and crosses and capped it all with a sumptuous equaliser in the 94th minute, a cushioned volley from the edge of the area that gave Darlow no chance. If he can perform like this against a Premier League defence then he has a big future at West Ham.

Squaring the circle

One piece of slightly better news is that the planned squaring-off of the two ends at the London Stadium looks set to be in place for next season. The fans behind the goal will be four metres closer to the action and it should help to give the London Stadium more of a traditional football ground feel, even if it's still a bowl at the sides. Just the thing (on current form) for all those of us who want to see Millwall, Rotherham and Wycombe at close quarters in the Championship... 

Calamitous defending costs Hammers

West Ham 3 Brighton 3

From the Best Cafe Nigel and myself head to the London Stadium to meet Matt and Lisa, Fraser, Scott and returning foul-weather fan Alison. Jarrod Bowen is introduced to the crowd and the noise level is encouraging in a game WHU have to win. 

Mooy heads a great chance wide after two minutes and I reflect that perhaps the breaks are finally going our way. "Says Dr Pangloss," quips the erudite Nigel, not believing that all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.

Soucek is unlucky not to score when a header is well-saved by Ryan and looks busy in midfield. All seems to be going to plan as the Hammers go into a two-goal lead. Diop prods home Robert Snodgrass' free kick as the Brighton defence goes missing. Mystic Morris suggests that Snoddy hasn't been playing too well. Immediately Fredericks's cross is cleared to Snodgrass who fires home via a heavy deflection. 

Brighton have passed it around nicely and had a one-on-one chance for Trossard saved by Fabianski, but at half time it looks like a resounding home win is on the way. Antonio is causing problems with his energy and another goal will surely seal it.

At the start of the second half Nigel starts to eat his lucky banana. Immediately Snodgrass gives away a needless free kick and WHU concede a corner. "The lucky banana has worked its magic," I suggest. From the corner Fabianski punches the ball into the back of Ogbonna and ball loops over the line. Matt berates me for invoking the curse of Nigel's unlucky banana. Though possibly we are investing half-time soft fruit with a little too much power. Match of the Day replays also show that sneaky Glenn Murray is holding on to Fabianski's arm as the ball comes in.

It's a worrying moment, but all seems well when a West Ham corner is headed out to Snodgrass who fires in a great volley that is again deflected into the net. He runs to our corner to celebrate what surely must be a home win.

But we have reckoned without the West Ham defence. There's a warning when Fabianski has to dive full-stretch to save a good effort from March. The side is starting to look tired after Wednesday. Fredericks has been out for ages and Soucek is tiring too. Antonio's hamstring can't be risked for 90 minutes and he's replaced by Arthur Masuaku.

COMEDY DEFENDING
In the 75th minute Arthur's first contribution is to whack a clearance into a Brighton player. The ball rebounds into the middle where surely Ogbonna and Diop will hoof it clear. But their indecision is final as both hesitate, the ball bounces, Diop attempts a weak back header and Gross pounces to roll home a comedy goal. It's too much for the Vicar's Son who rages at an unjust Deity, Arthur Masuaku, Diop and Ogbonna in the fashion of a latterday Captain Ahab. 

Things get worse. Noble looks exhausted and keeps giving the ball away and Haller gets slower and slower up front. Lanzini comes on and gives the ball away with his first touch. Four minutes after conceding the second the Hammers allow a cross to drift across the six yard box. Fredericks isn't tight to Murray who appears to control the ball with his hand and stroke it home. After an interminable VAR check the ruling is that the ball has hit Murray's torso not his arm, and the veteran has scored scored against West Ham yet again.

Matt predicts that we'll now lose it, and we nearly do as Fabianski has to produce a great save from March's free-kick. At least we hold on for a point, but WHU are now in the bottom three. The crowd drift away discussing relegation and as we seek out Watford and Bournemouth's results Nigel reminisces about the good old days of struggling and always checking for Coventry City's score.

Michael the Whovian WhatsApps to say, "Sounds as though this was the game when relegation went from possibility to probability". In the Refreshment Rooms we reminisce about West Ham's greatest relegations, from Avram Grant to Glenn Roeder. We'd had three games in a week and three big disappointments.

It's not all over yet. Bowen and Soucek might make a difference and tiredness played a part in the collapse — though Liverpool seem to do ok with two games a week. We're only one point away from safety, but with a likely two away defeats coming up the side has to learn how to defend to have any chance of survival. 

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 6; Fredericks 5, Diop 5, Ogbonna 4, Cresswell 5; Snodgrass 7 (Lanzini 4), Rice 5, Noble 5, Soucek 6 (Fornals 4), Antonio 6 (Masuaku 4); Haller 4.

Jarrod marches in

Some progress in the transfer window at last, though we left it late with the Hammers on the Highway To Hull to gazump Crystal Palace by grabbing Jarrod Bowen right on the deadline. Signing Bowen for £22m is a punt worth taking as he's one of the best players in the Championship and won't have any problems adapting to English football. 

He seems an old-fashioned inside forward, a winger-come-striker who clearly knows where the net is. He's scored 16 this season and looking at his 50 goals for Hull on YouTube he gets scruffy goals as well as good ones, which is what WHU need. The lad also has pace and with Antonio always prone to hamstring injuries he will offer some much-needed support for Haller up front. 

Having also signed Soucek as a box-to-box midfielder two problem positions have been strengthened. Sullivan and Gold have realised that their London Stadium project is on the line and that without investment we'll go down. Now the signings have to deliver, but there's more room for optimism now.