It's off to the London Stadium at the inconvenient time of 7.30pm for this Amazon Prime match against our bogey side from East Sussex. Brighton haven't lost to the Irons in eight Premier League meetings, winning three and drawing five.
The big news is that Nigel is only at the match because the Alcatrazz and Girlschool concert has been postponed because Girlschool's drummer has Covid. We're joined by a rainbow laced Michael who is writing his weekly play on farcical goings on at Number Ten, plus Matt and Fraser. The Clacton contingent have opted to stay at home in Essex.
The big discussion is whether Nigel has jinxed us by saying that "it's lucky we don't have any injuries" at the start of the Liverpool match, resulting in Ogbonna and now Cresswell getting crocked. Tonight Mystic Morris just says that he can see a 1-1 draw after an 89th minute equaliser.
NO DOUBTING TOMAS
Brighton start briskly with Matt's least favourite striker Maupay firing just wide after some sloppy play in defence by Benrahma. But it's West Ham who take the lead after five minutes. Fornals' corner is glanced home off Soucek's head with Sanchez immobile on his line.
It's the perfect start for the Hammers, but the side is still looking jaded with our passing game never really getting going. Brighton have more possession but it's West Ham who almost make it two after a brilliant move. Rice finds Coufal out wide, the full-back crosses, Antonio heads across the box and Fornals smacks a fine volley against the bar.
Brighton dominate the midfield play for much of the latter stages of the half with Maupay playing in Moder, who is foiled by an excellent stop from the onrushing Fabianski. We also note that Brighton's hirsute left-back Cucurella looks like a cross between Mario Kempes of Argentina and one of Nigel's prog rock guitarists.
ONE-NIL TO THE VAR
The second half begins with Brighton going close again. Then West Ham come to life as Fornals' corner causes confusion, the ball bounces off Dawson and in either off a defender or Antonio. Is it 2-0? Our celebrations are curtailed by VAR. After a massive wait it's not disallowed for a foul, but is then ruled out for offside. The decision is that it touched Antonio on the line in an offside position. It's hard to say who the ball touched last and if it takes so long to decide surely it's not a clear and obvious error? A victory for the pedants at Stockley Park.
Bowen has a great run from deep only to fire at Sanchez, but the side looks very leggy and Moyes takes an age to act before bringing on Lanzini and Masuaku. Surely we should have given our fresher players like Vlasic and Kral some game time. Benrahma's passing is awry and Antonio looks exhausted.
Manuel at least injects a bit more urgency into WHU's play. It's almost two as Brighton mess up a short goal kick and Antonio sets up Rice for a thumping shot that is excellently parried by Sanchez.
Brighton are now down to ten men after another injury. "What is the point of Masuaku?" cries the exasperated Vicar's Son as Arthur loses possession again. Lallana shoots wide and then Antonio's long-range header is fielded by Sanchez.
MADE TO MAUPAY FOR MISSED CHANCES
Can the Hammers show enough resilience to grind out a 1-0 win? Erm, no. Lamptey gets around Masuaku and crosses for Maupay to score with a great overhead kick and run to the away fans as a blue flare goes off. Not even VAR can save us. Nigel curses the Girlschool drummer with Covid for making him attend the game.
The Irons do respond well in the six minutes of added time. Rice makes a storming run from deep and sets up Bowen who hits the keeper yet again. In the dying moments WHU force a corner and Zouma's header is cleared off the line by Cucurella. But it's not to be and the Hammers have to be content with a point.
We retreat to the Refreshment Rooms where we meet The Gav. "At least we'll always have Parris," quips Matt, in reference to pre-match appearance of George. We then discuss our worst ever West Ham defeats and cover the 6-0 League Cup debacle at Oldham, the 3-2 defeat at Wigan that sent us down, a 2-2 draw at Rotherham, the 7-1 loss to Blackburn, the Play-Off Final loss to Palace and a host of other disasters. Not that we're pessimists.
Tonight we got a point at least, but didn't look anything like top four contenders and Moyes needs to freshen things up for Chelsea.
PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 7; Coufal 6, Zouma 6, Dawson 6, Johnson 6; Rice 8, Soucek 7, Benrahma 5 (Lanzini 7), Fornals 6 (Masuaku 5), Bowen 7, Antonio 5.
2 comments:
(Masuaku 5) Do your ratings start at 6 then? Otherwise, shurely shome mishtake.
Incidentally, Pravda, the official website, says: "Another substitute, Tariq Lamptey, got past Arthur Masuaku and crossed at head height, enabling Neal Maupay to get between the centre-backs and fire an overhead kick past Fabiański."
We've long suspected that an injury or two will highlight the small squad. Both Cress and Oggy are left sided as well, which doesn't help. I think around 8th this season, but hopefully win a cup....?
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