Impressive centre-backs
There is no way around it. Issa Diop had a nightmare in the FA Cup against Kidderminster and was lucky to last until half-time against the sixth-tier opponents. Despite the Kurt Zouma controversy the centre-back was overlooked on Tuesday with David Moyes opting to start the French international over his countryman. But when West Ham needed him Diop was there.
With just 20 minutes notice Diop stepped in to fill the Zouma void and was superb against Leicester City. His confidence would no doubt have taken a huge boost after an early assist for Jarrod Bowen's opener, Diop floated a lovely ball over the top of the Foxes defence and with Bowen in such fine form there was only going to be one result and the England hopeful finished well.
Diop went from strength to strength after that, outmuscling Patson Daka on numerous occasions and covering behind Craig Dawson when the Hammers needed extra pace in defence.
Despite conceding two goals both Dawson and Diop were excellent and deserve credit for their display. The pair are West Ham's clear second-choice partnership behind Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna but have played more games than either of the first-choice duo this season.
They both have faults in them and were not perfect against Leicester but when Moyes most needed them they stood up to be counted and are rightly receiving the plaudits they deserve.
Kurt Zouma withdrawal
The defender is of course caught up in a controversy entirely of his own making as he finds himself under investigation by the RSPCA after a video emerged on social media of him kicking and slapping his cat.
The defender's name was loudly booed by the home support when read out in the initial team news and the Frenchman would have expected a huge level of abuse thrown his way throughout the game from the Leicester fans. Zouma will now not face an away match until March 2 when the Hammers visit Southampton. Time may be a great healer and David Moyes has called for people to 'forgive and forget' but it is safe to say opposition supporters will do no such thing.
Zouma withdrew from the starting XI just 20 minutes prior to kick-off feeling unwell and Diop came into the starting team as a result. There is no suggestion the crowd's reaction played any part in Zouma's decision with the defender understood to have been struggling with illness all day ahead of the game.
Zouma's next two matches will be at the London Stadium, assuming he recovers in time, with a more sympathetic if still angry fanbase behind him. St Mary's is set to be less welcoming with few opposition fans in forgiving mood.
Missed opportunity or point gained?
With Manchester United only managing a draw with Southampton, Spurs losing at home to Wolves and Arsenal not in action West Ham had a superb chance to get three points on the board and put the pressure on their top-four rivals. As it is after a poor display and a late equaliser the late point could be a vital one in the hunt for European football.
After the perfect start going 1-0 up inside ten minutes, the Hammers ceded possession to Leicester and looked to hit them on the counter-attack. There is nothing wrong with this tactic and it is one that has reaped rewards for the Hammers this season but without creating too many clear-cut chances West Ham allowed Leicester to dominate possession and control the game. The timing of Tieleman's equaliser could not have been worse for the visitors after Aaron Cresswell's ludicrous decision to lift his elbow into the path of the ball.
The second-half was as poor a performance as West Ham have produced for some time, the FA Cup showing against Kidderminster was disappointing but was from the Hammers second XI. The first XI were on show at the King Power Stadium and were diabolical in the second period. Possession was gifted back to Leicester time after time, Cresswell and Vladimir Coufal were torn to shreds and at fault for the Foxes goals. Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio were dire in attack and Manuel Lanzini, whilst not quite as bad, had an off day.
Luckily for the Hammers Jarrod Bowen is in sublime form and Craig Dawson was as determined as every from the injury-time corner and popped up with a goal that could prove priceless come the end of the season.
Jarrod Bowen finishing
Jarrod Bowen's form has been so good of late writing about his chances of an England call-up have become almost as repetitive as the pieces about Declan Rice's brilliance.
Bowen's fine form continued at the King Power Stadium with a superb tenth-minute finish as he arrowed in a left-footed finish to the far corner leaving Kasper Schmeichel no chance. It was Bowen's seventh goal in seven games with the striker 'stepping up' when West Ham need him most according to Moyes.
The England hopeful's form has come at just the right time for West Ham with Michail Antonio struggling in front of goal. Pablo Fornals is another who is goal shy of late with Tomas Soucek also not hitting the numbers he achieved last season.
Bowen has been unfortunate that his hot streak has come in a long period without international football, however, with Gareth Southgate set to name a squad in March for the friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast, Bowen is surely closing in on his first Three Lions call-up.
Why Randolph?
The decision of Zouma to withdraw from the team saw Diop take his place in the starting XI leaving an empty slot on the bench.
Moyes opted to fill this with Darren Randolph meaning the Hammers had three goalkeepers in their matchday squad. The goalkeeper had been warming up with Lukasz Fabianski and Alphonse Areola so was ready to step onto the bench but it was hardly a like-for-like replacement.
It seemed a bizarre decision with the Hammers sure to have travelled with more than 18 outfield players, especially if as reported Zouma had been feeling unwell all day.
Whilst it matters little with Moyes unlikely to have needed to call on a youngster such as Aji Alese or Jamal Baptiste it did leave the manager light in the centre-back department.
Had one of Diop or Craig Dawson needed replacing it would have required a rejig at the back or in midfield. Aaron Cresswell has played as a centre-back in a three and Declan Rice is a more than capable defender. Fortunately for West Ham neither were needed to move from their preferred roles but the absence of Alese in particular was a curious one.
