West Ham’s unbeaten run comes to an end with Palace recording their first win at the London Stadium and their first win against the Hammers since February 2015, thanks to VAR.
It was always going to happen when these are the exact stats I highlighted in my preview.
I am beginning to think I’m some sort of skud. In other words, lately I have mentioned our short injury list only for Fabianski to get injured. And then in my preview I mention unbeaten runs and we get beat!
Or is it just West Ham fans in general who are skuds?
How many of you took to social media to slag off Spurs fans following their Carabao Cup defeat, only for us to suffer a worse fate? And how many of you done the same on Saturday afternoon following Spurs 3-0 defeat to Brighton? When will we ever learn?
PRE-GAME
With the game being broadcast on SKY I planted my ass on my seat and got comfortable, nestled nicely with a warm cup of coffee and a couple of chocolate hob-nobs. The joys of doing ‘Sober October’.
It is a very weird feeling watching football without a beer, well for me anyway.
The teams were announced and were exactly how I had predicted. Although to be fair I’d say it was also the same team as everyone had predicted. Are we becoming too predictable?
THE GAME
Yet another game with very little happening in the first 20/25mins.
There was the one incident at the very start where Yarmolenko was ruled offside following a great through ball by Noble, but replays showed he was onside. Incorrect decision against West Ham.
The first big chance of the game for West Ham came in the 29th minute when another great ball by Noble, played in Yarmolenko who drilled in a low cross to Haller, but the Frenchman managed to drive it straight at the Palace keeper from close range.
This seemed to have given West Ham a lift though, as in the 32nd minute they had another great chance. Diop finding Yarmolenko, who in turn played the ball onto the on running Fredericks, who chipped the ball across the area to Anderson but the Brazilian skewed the shot and the ball ended up further back than where he took the shot from! Not Anderson-like at all!
From this Anderson ‘clearance’, Yarmolenko retrieved the ball, played in Fredericks again, who crossed to Anderson. Anderson dove towards the ball and at least got his header on target this time.
Palace had a chance shortly afterwards when Zaha danced around Cresswell in the area, cut the ball back to Schlupp who’s shot was cleared off the line by Fredericks. Is it just me or does Schlupp sound like some sort of slushy drink?
In the 40th minute West Ham had another chance when a cross from Anderson caused confusion in the Palace defence when Cahill cleared the ball off McArthur and the ricochet forcing a save from Guaita.
Then in the 42nd minute Palace had a long range shot from McArthur well saved by Roberto.
The last chance of the half fell to Lanzini. Rice fed Yarmolenko who crossed into the box. The cross was cleared only as far as Anderson who in turn teed up Lanzini but the Argentinian’s strike went wide. It was probably Lanzini’s only contribution to the half!
0-0 Half Time.
Not long into the second half and it was another chance for West Ham. Following a foul on Anderson down the left, Lanzini took the free kick which was headed back across the goal by Haller, a poor clearance fell to Ogbonna who somehow managed to put it over the bar.
Finally, the deadlock was broken in the 54th minute. Outstanding play by West Ham in the build-up. Anderson played a nutmeg on McCarthy to Rice. Rice passed the ball to Noble in the middle. Noble one touched it back to Anderson who continued his run down the left. Anderson turned and played it to Lanzini who in turn found Rice. Rice gave it to Yarmolenko on the edge of the box. Yarmolenko turned away and fed Fredericks running down the right. Fredericks drilled the ball across the six-yard box for Haller to stab in. 1-0!
What a great team goal. No doubt if any of the ‘top 6’ had of scored that goal we would never hear the end of it!
Disaster in the 62nd minute when Rice gave away a penalty. God knows what the hell he was thinking putting his arm up like that! Van Aanholt duly put away the penalty. 1-1!
And just as the game was coming to a close, Palace win a free on the edge of the box, Zabaleta headed it clear. Townsend floated it back into the area, headed down by Kelly to Ayew who prodded the ball into the net. The lineman had his flag up for offside, but as we are becoming accustomed to, VAR has a look. And gave the goal! 1-2!
Game over! Robbed by VAR!
OVERVIEW
First things first, have a look at this still from the VAR decision.
That to me looks like the line for Anderson’s knee is either on the very outside of his knee or there is a bit of a gap between the knee and the line. Now look the line for Ayew. It looks like it is inside his knee! How can that be fair?
I was a big advocate of VAR, I thought it would have saved us from the dodgy decisions that always seem to go against us. How naïve was I? I would say we still aren’t getting the correct calls. They have come out and said about how Haller should have had a penalty against Bournemouth (I think it was) and then decisions like these go against us.
I think we need to start counting the VAR decisions that go against us compared to those that go for us. I’d make a guess at the former exceeding the latter!
I could go on all day about how we seem to get screwed over constantly but Ill maybe leave that for a separate blog sometime.
My views on the game itself are indifferent. The game took ages to get started but when it did, we did have some excellent attacking play. Just look at the build-up to our goal. I have said before we are a joy to watch at times. I’d just love those times to be more frequent.
I was disappointed in Lanzini, he might as well not have been on the pitch. And Fornals didn’t exactly light the place up when he came on for him. We seem to be carrying these pair in games. Maybe its time to give Wilshere a chance?
I did find the Zabaleta for Cresswell substitution a little strange. Cresswell was doing a good job on Zaha. I was worried when a slower paced Zabaleta was to do the same, but I suppose he did. It could have been so different though.
Now we have an International break so must wait until Everton away on the 19th October for our West Ham fix.
But I will leave a nice little stat on Haller before I finish for the break.
Haller has been directly involved in 14 goals in his last 15 league starts for West Ham and Frankfurt, scoring 7 and assisting 7.
My man crush is continuing!
COYI!
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