Here's a bit more WHU podscasting with myself rambling on with Phil, Jim and Pete on the latest Stop! Hammer Time podcast. Click on the link to play. Great idea of Phil's for Toby Jones to play David Moyes in the latest miscarriage of justice series after the Sheffield United game.
Well, a big boost to the Hammers' squad with the arrival of Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips on loan for the rest of the season. A couple of years ago he was the mainstay of the England midfield with Declan Rice. He's been frozen out by Guardiola at City, but once he's match fit Phillips should be a real asset. Yesterday's Evening Standard pointed out that all the club's recent defeats, against Brentford, Fulham, Liverpool and Bristol City, were when Edson Alvarez was absent. Phillips gives WHU a ready-made alternative to Alvarez as a defensive midfield shield. And if Moyes plays Phillips and Alvarez together then Ward-Prowse can play in a wider role and get forward more, as can Tomas Soucek. Hopefully we'll be getting a hungry player desperate to get back in the England squad. This seems like a good move for both parties.
Sheffield United 2 West Ham 2
Matt and Lisa visit Mayhem Corner for this one to watch the game onTNT, before setting off for Dagenham to watch the WHU women's side at 6.45pm. We're joined by lucky dog Vulcan on the sofa, though much of the first half sends him to sleep.
At least Bowen is fit, if isolated up top. Both sides misplace passes on the windy Sheffield pitch with Ings hesitating in front of goal and then Cornet crossing to no-one in the box. But the Hammers take an unexpected lead when Ings' shot falls nicely to Cornet on the left, who volleys home with a crisp finish for his first Hammers goal. Matt has absolutely never doubted him. That goal should give Maxi some confidence.
We look to be holding out until just before the break when a big header across the box sees Sousa's header well saved by Areola. But Brereton Diaz is quicker than Ward-Prowse to react and power home the rebound.
Sheffield put the Irons under pressure early in the second half as Brereton Diaz scuffs a one-on-one chance wide, but the Hammers stay solid even with a limping Zouma. Ings twists to fire a shot on target and is having a better game than of late. Moyes gets an undeserved chorus of "You don't know what you're doing!" from some away fans when he brings on Johnson for Cornet, but actually Ben does quite well in an unfamiliar midfield role.
Fornals has been poor, but finds Ings who turns well to move past Robinson into the box and is bought down. Ward-Prowse dispatches the penalty with 11 minutes left. Ings then has two goalbound shots blacked by defenders in a good chance to make it 3-1.
But it all kicks off in 14 minutes of chaotic added time. Sheffield's Brewster is sent off for a two-footed lunge at Emerson, but Coufal is booked for telling the ref to send him off, which is a stupid booking.
Johnson dawdles on the ball, Sheffield break on the left and Coufal gets a second yellow for a foul. From the free kick the ball gets recycled and Areola and McBurnie collide going up for a cross. The ref gives a penalty even though McBurnie's arm is across Areola's face and the keeper needs treatment.
The Hammers bring on Fabianski for the penalty, but after an age of delay he can't keep out McBurnle's calm finish. It's the latest goal ever scored in the Premier League at 103 minutes.
But there's still a minute left and Ben Johnson does really well to get in a cross from the right. Jarrod Bowen is pulled down by Ahmedhodzic in a tackle straight from Twickenham. It's the most blatant penalty in the history of football, but while being hauled to the floor Jarrod's hand has touched the ball and ref Michael Salisbury gives a free kick to United. Where was sodding VAR? Moyes gives the ref his Glasgow death stare and is too angry afterwards to comment.
West Ham haven't played well and have dropped two points, though credit to Sheffield for their resilience. The Irons really have to be much more professional in closing out games, though in fairness an away point isn't a complete disaster without Alvarez, Aguerd, Kudus, Paqueta and Antonio. On 35 points we might be safe. And but for a VAR clanger it should have been a late penalty winner after 104 minutes.
Bristol City 1 West Ham 0 (FA Cup)
It's a night in front of the BBC coverage for this one. With Paqueta, Bowen, Kudus and Aguerd all out this was always going to be difficult, while Alvarez and Fornals are also absent, plus long-term casualty Antonio.
It's the worst possible start after three minutes when after the City keeper clears from Cornet's pass to Ings, Mavropanos plays a no-look backpass and Conway nips in to round Fabianski and score. That's the second goal Dinos has given away from a poor back pass and for all his promise he needs to work on his concentration.
West Ham come back into it and force a few corners, even though the front three of Cornet, Ings and Benrahma haven't scored a goal between them all season. Cornet under pressure sends a volley past the post. Ings has a decent turn and snapshot just wide, but then fluffs another chance when he tries to square it rather than shoot. That's the sign of a striker completely lacking in confidence.
The game is effectively over just after the break when Benrahma is sent off for kicking out after being fouled. It was a bad challenge by Williams but a stupid piece of indiscipline from Beni, and sums up the way his season has gone. Though City are also lucky to still have 11 men after a raised arm from Gardner-Hickman on Cresswell goes unpunished.
Emerson moves into midfield and tries his best to get some progressive play going, but Bristol are really fired up and want it more on a cold Tuesday night in the west country. West Ham's best chance comes when Cornet gets in a good cross from the left and Soucek's effort is brilliantly tipped over by O'Leary.
Mubama comes on late and it's pleasing to see young Callum Marshall get ten minutes, but that's about the only positive. Wells goes close with a couple of late efforts and the outcome is never really in doubt. So the Cup Final breakfast at Nigel's gaff in Kew Gardens is off once more, as we concentrate in on the Premier and Europa Leagues and getting some bodies back in action.
More bad news on the injury front with the news that Lucas Paqueta will be out for maybe eight weeks with a calf injury and Jarrod Bowen will probably miss the Sheffield United match with his ankle injury. Meanwhile Antonio has had a setback in training, though slightly better news is that Mavropanos is nursing bruises but should be fit soon. But with Kudus likely to be in Africa until mid-February if Ghana go all the way our entire attack is now absent.
West Ham can't rely on Ings and Mubama as a strike force so signings are required. Steven Bergwijn might help and West Ham now have a good relationship with Ajax. He scored seven times in 60 games for Spurs, but a lot of those appearances came as a late sub and he was never going to get far as Harry Kane's deputy. Bergwijn did score a cracking winner against Man City and his figures with Ajax of 19 goals in 45 appearances are more promising. But it seems the club will have to sell first, with Lyon interested in Benrahma and Fornals, Cornet, and Ings up for sale.
Though it would be a mistake to let Nayef Aguerd go to Saudi Arabia; he's made some mistakes but is generally a cultured defender and is going to get better, while securing a replacement in January would be very difficult. We're down to Harry Redknapp's bare bones. It's going to be an interesting and nerve-wracking window.
Before the game it's off to Dace Road to inspect the Hackney Wick flood damage. A few shops have been boarded up by the Old Ford Lock, but it looks like the London Stadium should be safe from inundation for now.
In the stadium we're all over the place thanks to the non-automatic WHU automatic home cup ticket scheme. I'm at the end of row 45, Matt (in his yellow hoodie to match Bristol's away shirts), Nigel and CQ are nearer the corner flag in row 49, Michael is behind the goal in row 67 where he says the view is surprisingly good, and Big Sam has managed to buy one of our proper seats in row 44.
City have brought 9000 fans and there's a good atmosphere amid a sell-out crowd - it's always worth offering cheap tickets for the early cup games. Moyes names his strongest side, bar rotating Fabianski in goal. West Ham are ahead on four minutes. Paqueta plays a great disguised pass over the top of the defence to find Bowen who rounds O'Leary and slots home.
But things start to unravel after 14 minutes when Paqueta pulls up with a recurrence of his knee injury. After playing him against Arsenal and seeing him come off it would surely have been better to rest Lucas for this one. On comes Divin Mubama in a surprisingly positive move from Moyes.
Sam Bell wriggles through on the right to test Fabianski to show it's not all over. West Ham have several chances. A fine run and cross from Bowen sees Fornals force an excellent one-handed save from O'Leary, though Pablo should surely have scored with all the goal to aim at.
A great backheel from Fornals releases Emerson who in turn finds Bowen. His cross is almost poked into his own net by Pring. Next a Ward-Prowse snap shot is tipped round the post by the keeper. Before the break Mavropanos has to go off after an agricultural challenge, which is more bad news for our depleted squad.
Predictably enough Bristol come at West Ham in the second half with Pring shooting wide from a teasing cross. West Ham pay the price for playing a free kick backwards rather than forwards as Emerson hoofs an aimless ball into midfield, Williams gathers and sends a great through ball to Conway who fires crisply intro the corner to the delight of the bouncing Bristolian fans.
Moyes reacts by bringing on Ings, Cornet and Johnson for the clattered Coufal. There are now three strikers on the pitch which might be enough for the convalescing Fraser. Bowen gets in a great cross that is just behind Mubama.
West Ham win a series of corners that are headed away by the resolute City defence. Strangely Mubama, who at times dribbles into trouble, ends up on the right wing as Bowen goes into the centre.The best chance comes when Ward-Prowse's corner is headed down by Soucek. Mubama does well to swivel and shoot, but it's at the keeper's legs. The rebound falls to Ings, who has actually played quite well, only for Danny to fire into the side netting when he should have scored.
The day ends with the worrying sight of Bowen limping off in added time before the whistle blows and it's the replay we don't want. At least Nigel's Cup Final breakfast in Kew is just about still on. Matt, Michael and myself head to the Eagle past a wintry mauve sunset over Stratford.
Matt is preparing for the Tufnell Park film quiz with a whisky and can of Hackney Haze as Sinead introduces us to a peanuts and Tayto crisps combo. Michael and myself advise extensive prepping on auteurs like Paul 'Jean-Luc' Goddard, the class awareness of the Carry On films and the early works of Robin Askwith. Matt leaves me to take one for the team as someone has to finish his East London Pale Ale as he rushes off to play for Temple of Dumb, who finish third out of nine teams.
At least we get a rest now. It's going to be a worrying ten days looking at the treatment table before the replay. Not a disaster, but another game that is stretching the squad even further.
PLAYER RAINGS: Fabianski 6; Coufal 6 (Johnson 5), Mavropanos 6 (Ogbonna 6), Zouma 7, Emerson 6; Soucek 5, Alvarez 5 (Ings 6), Ward-Prowse 6, Paqueta 6 (Mubama 5), Fornals 6 (Cornet 5); Bowen 7.
So Thilo Kehrer has gone on loan to Monaco for the rest of the season. He'll be remembered for coming on for Kurt Zouma in the Europa Conference League final and doing well, and of course for hollering "Irons!" at loud volume during the victory parade. But he seems to have fallen completely out of favour this season, ranking behind Zouma, Aguerd, Mavropanos and Ogbonna for the centre back spots and behind Coufal and Johnson for the right-back berth.
Thilo made quite a few mistakes after arriving at the end of the summer window for £10m last season, but did improve, though he suffered from the management never being quite sure if he was a centre back or right-back. As a German international he clearly wanted first-team football, but with WHU's squad so stretched he might actually have got some game time in January. Has the club given up on him too quickly? Good luck at Monaco, Thilo.
Despite being in the automatic Home Cup Ticket Scheme it seems you don't automatically get tickets for the Bristol City game, so my group of season ticket holders have all had to purchase tickets in different rows. My pal Matt seems to think it's something to do with the high number of away fans, but you do wonder what the point of the home ticket scheme is if you don't get automatic tickets. Maybe Franz Kafka could help...
It's a worrying line-up at the London Stadium, with Kudus and Aguerd absent in Africa, Paqueta and Zouma injured, and Coufal absent with flu amid reports that he is unhappy about his 35k wages and the club triggering just a one-year extension to his contract. This is a self-inflicted wound. Vlad's had a good season and it would cost £30m to replace him. Let's pay him more money and give him a two-year deal.
In the stand Nigel is still wearing his Hammers Christmas jumper and hoping to meet Danny Welbeck's dad Stan. Michael has returned after Covid and is sporting a scarf supporting a team called "London", while Matt and Lisa have seen West Ham superfan Chesney Hawkes perform The One and Only on a float going up Whitehall. Fraser has failed a late fitness test so we wish him a speedy recovery and return to the world of Moyesball.
Brighton have a lot of absentees too, including Dunk, Mitoma, March and Fati. Matt remembers that the last time we beat Brighton we watched with my dog Vulcan, while Nigel suggests that Vulcan's favourite player is Dogbonna,
After a burst of Iron Maiden's The Trooper, the game kicks-off and both weakened teams start like it's a game too far. James Ward-Prowse has a volley saved by Steele and Benrahma cuts inside to shoot wide, but it's Brighton who make the better chances.
Areola has to make a double save from Welbeck and Hinshelwood, while Gross sends a free header straight at the Hammers keeper. West Ham are really missing Paqueta and Kudus. Benrahma and Fornals are low on confidence, with Beni not willing to take his man on and Fornals getting rid of the ball too quickly.
At half-time there's not much to talk about except the real name of the late DJ Tommy Vance, which Matt reveals to be Richard Anthony Crispian Francis Prew Hope-Weston. Nigel eats his lucky banana in the hope of better fare to come.
YOU'LL NEVER BEAT THE FONZ
The second half becomes a battle between Areola and the Brighton forwards as he foils Welbeck. Areola has to make a low save from Estupinan. Then Joao Pedro dribbles through most of the defence only to fire straight at the Fonz.
West Ham do have a great chance though. Benrahma finally comes to life and gets in a cross that is deflected by a defender into the path of Soucek. Somehow Tomas pokes wide of a gaping goal.
Brighton sense a late winner but luckily Alvarez does another fine screening job, Mavropanos and Ogbonna are solid at the back again and Johnson does ok at right back. On 72 minutes Nigel hopes for Divin inspiration as Mubama comes on, only to be offered a series of long balls over his head. Though just as Beni was starting to do a bit better he's been hooked again.
Brighton's sub Ferguson spins and fires wide of the post. Matt wonders who the promising number six is that is dominating midfield, and we discover that it's James Milner. A winner seems inevitable, but Moder fires a great chance over the bar. Finally Lallana's low shot is expertly tipped away by Areola.
It's a decent result to get a point while playing so badly, even if Brighton would have struggled to hit a cow's posterior with a banjo. We have a decent first team but this is proof the squad needs strengthening in the window.
The final act of the evening is for Michael to hand out his delayed Christmas cards, which contain photos of himself posing with Hammerhead and Bubbles the Bear, plus the Europa Conference League Trophy.
We're left to absorb the fact that this is the first goalless draw in 101 games at the London Stadium and Brighton's first clean sheet in 23 games. While West Ham have either conceded nought or five goals in their last seven games, with five clean sheets and two five-goal thrashings. And to be super-positive we're unbeaten this year. Irons!
PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 9; Johnson 6, Mavropanos 7, Ogbonna 7, Emerson 6; Alvarez 7, Soucek 5, Ward-Prowse 6, Fornals 5, Benrahma 5 (Mubama 5); Bowen 6.
