It took West Ham until May and the visit of Manchester United to record their first statement Premier League victory over one of the division’s big boys last season, as the Hammers’ reputation as nose-bloodiers evaporated in the midst of their relegation scrap.
This time around, though, David Moyes’s side have rediscovered the formula at the first time of asking, charging to a 3-1 victory over London rivals Chelsea here at the London Stadium, despite Nayef Aguerd’s red card midway through the second half.
The hosts were fortunate to go in level at the break, and not only because Enzo Fernandez saw a poor penalty saved by Alphonse Areola. In the second-half, though, this was more like the resilient West Ham of old, a dogged defensive rearguard and then a brutal breakaway goal from Michail Antonio edging the Irons ahead before Lucas Paqueta’s late penalty at the end of a turbulent couple of days for the Brazilian secured all three points.
More of that will be needed this term. The Premier League landscape has changed since the Irons were fighting for top six finishes only a couple of seasons ago, with not just the traditional Big Six but also the likes of Newcastle, Brighton and perhaps even Aston Villa boasting more outright quality in their squads. It may not always be pretty, but West Ham’s best chance of competing for now is to keep doing things their way.
Debut delight for James Ward-Prowse
It took James Ward-Prowse just one set-piece delivery to cause havoc in Chelsea’s defence and only two to register his first assist on his West Ham debut.
Robert Sanchez’s sharp work just about denied Tomas Soucek the chance to give the home side the lead, but minutes later the new signing’s back-post corner was met by Aguerd, benefitting from some abysmal Chelsea defending to nod home.
West Ham’s set-piece prowess was a key component of Moyes’s success during the first two seasons of his upon his return to the club but faded badly in the first two-thirds of last season, the Hammers among the least productive teams in the division until a late upturn that coincided with their push clear of the drop.
In that sense, a move for Ward-Prowse always looked a no-brainer following Southampton’s relegation and already it looks like paying off.
Alphonse Areola defies dismal record to vindicate decision
Alphonse Areola has had to bide his time to become West Ham’s Premier League No1 after two years as deputy to Lukasz Fabianski and the Pole’s punchy interview this week, in which he criticised the handling of his dropping, has only increased the scrutiny on his successor.
Many of a claret and blue persuasion will no doubt have been longing for Fabianski when Tomas Soucek dived in needlessly on Raheem Sterling to gift Chelsea their first-half spot-kick, the veteran boasting an outstanding penalty record.
Areola’s by contrast is abysmal, his last save coming four-and-a-half years ago. Since joining the Hammers, he has been beaten by all four penalties he has faced in regulation time as well as all ten (!!) in last season’s League Cup shootout defeat to Blackburn. His stop here to keep out Enzo Fernandez, then, was timely, backed up by a superb reflex stop to deny substitute Noni Madueke in stoppage time moments before Paqueta’s clincher. It is early days, but Moyes’s succession plan looks vindicated.
