Two-nil to the Arsenal

Arsenal 2 West Ham 0

I'm undercover for this one thanks to my Gooner pal. We're on the halfway line with a fine view and genteel crowd, including Robert Peston and behind me a Gunner who saw his first Arsenal game in 1948.

Wan-Bissaka is back in the side, but feeling his way back is not the force he was in this fixture last season. West Ham win a corner in the first minute, which Fullkrug, under pressure, heads over, and that's about it attack wise. Arsenal sweep forward and Timber forces a good low save from Areola. A goalmouth scramble sees Eze shoot over when he should score.

Odegaard makes PL history by going off after 30 mins for the third game in a row after a clash of knees with Summerville. But it's a sign of Arsenal's strength in depth that he's replaced by the £60m Zubimendi.

The breakthrough comes after 38 minutes as Zubimendi's fine through ball sees Eze force a  save from Areola but Declan Rice strike home the rebound. At least Declan doesn't celebrate. "Declan Rice, we got him half price!" chant the Gunners' fans. It's nearly two just before the break as Calafiori's shot rebounds off a post on to Areola's back and is scrambled away.

To be slightly positive West Ham work hard and do keep their shape against the possible champions. The Greek Bloke wins a lot in the air and has a decent game against Gyokeres, while Kilman also does well. We even manage to defend corners reasonably well. The away fans amuse themselves with a chant of "Who's the wanker with the drum?"

But it's still all one-way. Zubimendi chips over the defence and Diouf shows his inexperience by letting Timber get behind him. He brings down Timber on the edge of the box and the ref gives a penalty. Saka makes it 2-0. "You're going down!" chant the home fans.

Fernandes is busy at times and Nuno shows bravery by taking off Magassa and Fullkrug for youngsters Potts and Marshall. Both are energetic but powerless as Arsenal play out a routine win. Very late on Bowen wins a corner and Marshall gets above Saliba only to head over.

Oh well, it was only two-nil and Arsenal habec spent £240m plus on Zubimendi, Eze, Madueke and Gyokeres. This was never a game West Ham were likely to get much from but Nuno will have learned more about his team and at least the discipline and shape looked a bit better against a top side. Let's see what he can do in the two weeks before Brentford.

PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6; Wan-Bissaka 5; Kilman 6, Mavropanos 6, Diouf 5; Bowen 5, Paqueta 6, Magassa 5 (Potts 5), Fernandes 6, Summerville 6; Fullkrug 5 (Marshall 5).

Bowen bags battling point at Everton

Everton 1 West Ham 1

We're at the Floirin in Holloway Road for the start of the Nuno Espirito Santo era. North London Irons Matt, Chief Super Sub Lisa and Denis join me over some well-kept pints of Guinness (at only £4.90 a pint) and lashings of Tayto crisps. Ward-Prowse is out of the squad, which seems a little unfair on a good pro, as is Todibo, while Magassa starts.

The first half sees a lot of Everton pressure and some grittier defending from the Hammers with Kilman and Mavropanos making some decent blocks. Magassa grows into the game and makes some good tackles, he picks up a yellow card but looks like the big strong CDM we need. Summerville is our likeliest outlet.

Everton take the lead after a corner. Areola makes a good punch away but the ball is recycled to Garner on the left. He's in too much space and Keane gets in front of Fullkrug to score with a thumping header over Areola. It's nearly two when Dewsbury-Hall fluffs another headed chance.

The second half sees West Ham gain in confidence. Summerville latches on to a poor defensive header and forces a good save from Pickford. The equaliser comes when Summerville shows good skill to find Diouf on the left. The full-back appears to be on a moped as he races clear of two defenders and pings in a fine cross. It's headed away by Keane to Bowen, who cuts inside and powers it home aided by a slight deflection. Jarrod runs to the away fan and holds his badge.

The Moyes derby is so exciting that Denis forgets his plans to go home and watch Belfast cop drama Blue Lights. Nuno looks more animated on the bench than Potter, accompanied by a mystery bloke in glasses. 

Areola has to make a fine low save from Garner but it's West Ham who look likelier to win it at the end as they gain a number of corners. Paqueta should shoot but tries to beat a man too many as Moyes starts to look agitated. Freddie Potts is on for the carded Magassa and does well in his cameo while Nuno wastes some time on 94 minutes by bringing on Igor and Irving.

So a morale-boosting away point and a much better performance. Nuno kept it simple and built from a solid defence, which suited these players better. Everyone put in a shift and Jimmy Summerville, Diouf and Bowen had fine games. Now all we have to do is get a result at the Emirates. COYI!

Potter out, Nuno in

So Graham Potter has finally gone and it seems Nuno Espirito Santo is certain to be his replacement. It was a little cruel to let Potter do his press conference on Friday, though you don't expect classy sackings at West Ham under the current ownership. Potter was in deep trouble after the home fans chanted "sacked in the morning!" against Palace. I don't like sacking managers, but there's been few signs of hope since Potter took over. It's not as if we've been playing well and not getting results. 

Potter had a free hit with the second half of last season. He wasn't helped by injuries but apart from a slight improvement defensively the team still looked flat. This season's five defeats out of six have been calamitous and the mood at home games has been apathetic. Yes, he's been let down by the players but conceding six goals from corners points to a basic lack of organisation in defence and the lack of a set-piece coach. His midfield reinforcements arrived late and Hermansen has proved a poor signing so far in goal. Another problem has been Potter's lack of charisma. It's ok to be calm in a crisis but he's failed to galvanise the fans and too often lapses into middle-management speak when the fans want a bit of passion and some pithy quotes.

Will Nuno Espirito Santo be a good fit? His record at Wolves and Forest is certainly impressive and he's used to dealing with a difficult chairman. Signing Milenkovic and Murillo proves he can spot a good centre back and he got the best out of an ageing striker in Chris Wood, so hopefully he might do the same for Fullkrug and Wilson. It would be back to counter-attacking football, which is ok with me if done effectively, and Nuno will hope that Bowen and Summerville can do similar jobs to Elanga and Hudson-Odoi at Forest. If the new gaffer is in charge at Everton then it will give us more cause for optimism.

But the biggest problem at West Ham has been the ownership not the managers. David Sullivan has certainly spent some money, but he's veered all over the place in terms of club direction. He listened to the voices on the phone-ins instead of having the strength to keep Moyes after a ninth placed finish and Europa League quarter-final. Throughout his tenure the club has gone from pragmatic to romantic managers and back again, all with scattergun recruitment. Since Moyes we've had three managers and two recruitment gurus in Tim Steidten and Kyle Macauley. Again it's a hasty appointment made in panic mode, but let's hope the club might have got it right this time.

Ending West Ham's defensive woes

So Graham Potter remains in charge for the trip to Everton on Monday and the big issue is how to stop West Ham conceding goals from corners. As Match of the Day pointed out we have a problem with teams packing the far post and don't seem to have the leaders at the back to address it. There's also the problem of players like Mateta blocking off the goalkeeper. The vaguely zonal marking system just doesn't seem to work so let's just try sticking with a man each. That seemed to work during my days in the Shenfield School First X1.

Some changes of personnel might help. Areola is our best goalkeeper and Hermansen is always going to be targeted after his poor start. It's a shame Wan-Bissaka remains out with a stomach problem as he's a natural tackler despite a poor game against Chelsea, though Walker-Peters has done ok in his absence. The only centre-back who hasn't been dropped this season is Max Kilman, so perhaps it's time to give Igor a go and restore Jean-Clair Todibo, who cost £36 million and was once wanted by a host of top clubs. Potter was a centre back himself so it's mystifying why he can't get a back-line organised.

Part of the problem has been small players like Paqueta, Fernandes and Ward-Prowse picking up giants at set-pieces so who not do what Harry Redknapp did and keep two or three players up when defending a corner? That way the attacking side has to keep more defenders back and out of our box.

SMALL TEAM IN STRATFORD

Now Zouma, Ogbonna, Dawson, Rice and Antonio have gone West Ham are a small side new signing Magassa who is six foot two might be option in midfield, though he struggled as a sub against Palace. It's important Tomas Soucek returns. James Gheerbrant recently wrote an interesting piece on the bouncing Czech in the Times entitled, "Soucek's unique skill set: he jogs, he blocks, he scores (but no assists)." The piece points out that although Tomas is relatively slow his blocking record at the back is phenomenal and that as a midfielder in the Premier League he's scored only two less goals (he's got 36 in total) than Kevin de Bruyne from fewer chances.

Potter is a decent man (and internet meme) but the way we are losing games isn't offering much hope while his slow-passing possession style seems outdated now the Premier League is reverting to long throw-ins and more direct football. The likelihood remains that Moyes' Everton will end the Potter reign and Nuno Espirito Santo (who sounds a bit like a Duolingo course) be appointed. Some tactical tweaks are essential and perhaps praying to the deity of your choice might also be advisable. Though as at Forest, football can surprise us all. Come on you not very solid Irons.

Palace leave West Ham and Potter feeling bad all over

West Ham 1 Crystal Palace 2

It's an early start to catch the 7.30am bus from our holiday cottage in Grasmere. Then on to Windermere station, a train to Oxenholme then another train to Euston, then the tube. All for a trip to see a top London side — and also West Ham.

There's been a demo against Sullivan and Brady before the game, the fans rightly exasperated that the Irons are less professional in recruitment than Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford, Fulham and Crystal Palace among others.

Inside a humid London Stadium Nigel is wearing three layers and has been to see Spinal Tap in the hope that West Ham can up the volume to 11. Alison has escaped Farage-land to join us in place of Michael the Whovian, who has gone down with a bout of West Ham-related nihilism. Foul-weather fan Alison reveals that her partner Biff has chosen the entire Palace defence for his Fantasy Football line-up, which will surely ensure we lose. Lisa and Matt have come via watching the WHU kids and the Best Meze Cafe, with Matt sporting a BAC-sponsored shirt from the days of the Championship and Trevor Morley. BAC means Back As Champions? Could be useful for next season.

Potter has dropped Hermansen for Areola and Wilson starts up front. Jimmy Summerville has a couple of decent runs down the left and Henderson has to punch away a dangerous Ward-Prowse corner. But a warning comes as Palace win two headers in the box as Kamada nods wide.

Almost inevitably West Ham's glass jaw is exposed at a Palace corner after 37 minutes. Geuhi gets above Kilman and Areola tips his header on to the bar. Mavropanos has gone back on the line rather than pick up Mateta, who heads home. The home crowd don't even seem that angry.

Just before the break West Ham produce the best move of the game as Paqueta and Diouf combine to release Summerville, who plays a fine ball to Wilson in front of goal. But instead of shooting first time Callum tries to turn inside and gets tackled. Matt sees the ghost of Danny Ings, a player who would have gobbled up such chances a few years previously.

The sun comes out for the second half as Palace almost make it two as another corner sees Lacroix head against the bar. But West Ham come forward to win two corners. As Diouf sends the second corner in Bowen strolls away from his marker to angle in a delicate header to equalise.

West Ham have a good spell for 15 minutes as we wonder if Potter has maybe thrown his ballpoint pen across the dressing room in exasperation at half-time. The crowd get behind the side as Diouf gets forward well and Ward-Prowse is also having a decent game. Paqueta has a dangerous cross hacked away and Walker-Peters forces a low save from Henderson. 

SACKED IN THE MORNING?

Just as things are improving Palace go ahead. Wharton chips in a cross that the Greek Bloke does reasonably well to head away. But the ball falls to defender Mitchell who volleys hame an unstoppable effort with his wrong foot. Potter has become an unlucky manager as well as an unconvincing one. 

Things turn nasty as the injured Summerville goes off for Guilherme and Magassa replaces Fernandes. The crowd don't like Fernandes going off and chant, "You don't know what your doing!" at the beleaguered Potter. The Bobby Moore Stand also joins in with the Palace fans chant of "Sacked in the morning!", which you don't like to hear.

The subs make the Irons worse. Fullkrug tries to rough up the Palace centre backs with little effect, Guilherme can't get into the game and Magassa struggles to adjust to the pace. Palace see the game out without looking in danger.

The rain and wind arrives as we trudge towards the Eagle with Nigel's extra layers now looking prescient. Potter's job is surely on the line now. You don't like to see managers sacked but it's the way we're losing that is worrying. Nuno Espirito Santo is the name being mentioned, a good gaffer though is he the man to fire up the fanbase?

At least the Eagle has Spitfire in the fridge as Matt tries to cheer us up by asking us to name all West Ham's Portuguese players. We go through Porfirio, Dani, Futre, Fonte and a few others, though for the full list you'll have to consult Matt's mind palace. It wasn't really worth getting up at 6.30am for this. It was a better performance at times but if you can't defend set pieces you won't stay in the Premier League. As the Stranglers might put it, something better change.

PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6; Walker-Peters 6, Kilman 5, Mavropanos 5, Diouf 7; Ward-Prowse 6, Fernandes 6 (Magassa 5), Paqueta 6, Summerville 6 (Guilherme 4); Bowen 7, Wilson 5 (Fullkrug 5).

It all goes a bit Spursy for West Ham

West Ham 0 Tottenham 3

Luckily we're in the Lake District for this one, watching the game from Tweedies bar in Grasmere. My younger daughter's boyfriend is with us wearing his Spurs shirt, though to be fair he doesn't gloat and does buy me a pint.

Fullkrug has a knock from international duty, Wilson is deemed ready to start and Potter opts for Bowen up front which deprives the side of its biggest threat on the right. West Ham start off quite confidently after the Forest win, with a nice move between Bowen and Fernandes seeing Paqueta drag a shot wide when he should score. But Spurs win a series of corners and ruthlessly crowd Hermansen. Romero has what looks a good goal disallowed for holding in the box as Spurs start to dominate. Summerville has his moments though and at the break there's still hope.

It all goes wrong soon after the interval when yet another corner comes in. Sarr wanders lonely as a cloud towards the back post and heads home with our defence on the couch. Soucek lunges in studs up and gets a straight red. Almost instantly a Spurs free kick sees Bergvall get between the centre backs to loop home a header. It's three after 63 minutes when more hesitant defending sees Van de Ven shoot into the corner. 

Luckily Spurs ease up after that. Bowen has a shot at the keeper but with ten men it's game over. Back to basics after the Forest optimism with five goals now conceded from corners this season. The Grasmere deluge arrives with the heavens apparently weeping at such lax defending and leaving both West Ham and my party with several mountains to climb. At least the Lakes Pale Ale was good.

A game of two scarves

West Ham have made a bit of history by banning half and half scarves from the game against Spurs. I'm not sure they would cause too much trouble since wearing one marks you out as a tourist who doesn't support either side, though Mo Kudus might like one. Would any real fan ever wear one? Though should we ever play Millwall again it will be interesting to see how sales of those half and half scarves go...