It's off to this one with daughter Nell, after a long wait for a hipster hot dog at the Milk Float barge at Hackney Wick. We just make the kick-off and it's another cracking atmosphere with the Irons top of the league and crisis club Arsenal thumped 5-0 at Man City.
This was always going to be a big test after the euphoria of Monday night. The first half is all West Ham though Palace maintain the imprint of a Roy Hodgson side and are difficult to break down, increasingly causing West Ham to misplace passes. Ward has to clear off the line after a dodgy header from one of his own defenders and Dawson goes close after another melee.
The Hammers take the lead with a fine goal. Benrahma plays a lovely ball thought to Antonio, who plays a double one-two with Fornals leaving the Spaniard with a tap-in. It's the sort of slick-passing that Man City employ. But the Hammers fail to capitalise on their lead with Fornals playing his cross just behind a free Benrahma.
Nigel eschews eating his lucky banana at half-time as we meet up with The Gav in the concourse. Bowen sets up Benrahma for a shot at the start of the second half but Palace improve dramatically as West Ham look increasingly leggy. Palace score with their first shot on target. Zaha crosses, Benteke wins a header and Gallagher produces a clever finish to skew the ball beyond Dawson and Fabianski from a tight angle.
CHICKEN DANCE
At least the crowd respond with more positive energy. It looks like the game is won in the 68th minute when Cresswell's long ball deflects off Andersen and the back of Antonio's head to fall nicely for the Irons' talisman to thump home a great finish — just as Mystic Matt is saying we won't score from a long ball. Michail reprises Kevin Nolan's chicken dance as a celebration.
The lead only lasts two minutes as the Irons fail to defend properly again. McArthur crosses and Conor Gallagher controls it, drags the ball back with his left foot to beat Dawson and fires home with his right ti send the away fans into ecstasy.
The home crowd respond with a rousing Bubbles and keep with the side, though late appearances from Lanzini and Yarmolenko test the patience of the Vicar's Son. Palace almost win it when Rice is forced to give away a free kick and Guehi heads over when well-placed. Then it's West Ham's turn to break as Antonio plays a poor ball when Benrahma is free and looking likely to score.
DRAWING DRAWING WEST HAM
So it ends in a draw and it has to be said it's been a cracking game as well as a reality check. We'd surely have settled for seven points from the first three games at the start of the season. Then it's off to see Michael the Whovian's play A Certain Term at the White Bear with Fraser, Lisa and a restrained Matt, who never once calls for the understudy to come on. A few pints of Neck Oil and a fine theatrical outing reduce our disappointment.
Two weeks' rest now and Zouma is coming in to resolve some of the defensive jitters. This game proved there's not enough on the Hammers' bench and whether we can sign a striker and midfielder in the next three days will surely shape our season.
PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 6; Coufal 6, Dawson 5, Ogbonna 6, Cresswell 7; Rice 7, Soucek 6, Fornals 7 (Yarmolenko n/a), Bowen 7 (Lanzini 5), Benrahma 6; Antonio 8.
1 comment:
And I reckon a folded paper ticket works better than shoving your phone in the turnstile reader. Not as good for the environment though...
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