Which means we’re done here. Thanks all for your company and comments, sorry I couldn’t use them all; enjoy the rest of the weekend. Ta-ra!
And here’s Jacob Steinberg’s match report.
Antonio says West Ham didn’t start well last season and wanted to change that this. They won “the European Cup, he says, but were still disappointed with how the league went.
On today, he talks about how hard the game was and how hard he and the team had to work. At half-time, Moyes showed them how to shut down the pockets into which Chelsea were getting out, allowing them to win the ball higher up. And his goal came, he explains, from spotting Sanchez taking a step one way, which prompted him to drill a finish the other. He only got five league goals last season, has one already this, and hopes to keep at it from here.
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Caicedo’s disaster will take attention away from Enzo’s missed penalty, but that was probably the game’s turning point. He scores and Chelsea may well go onto win; that he took it shows us his team lack a killer, because no serious centre-forward is allowing a free goal to go to a midfielder.
It’s worth noting that Chelsea’s second-half drop-off followed Chukwuemeka’s departure. He had a really good 45, showing for the ball, holding onto it and using it intelligently, so Pochettino will hope he’s not out for too long. If he is, Gallagher might get a chance to play a more attacking role, which suits him nicely.
Jamie Redknapp notes that the pass Ward-Prowse sent into Antonio is not one Declan Rice has in his locker. That’s a fair point, and one I imagine Rice would accept; hitting telling passes is the area in which he most needs to improve.
Ward-Prowse tells Sky he had a “dream debut” and notes the energy from the crowd in the closing stages. He knows he’s been signed partly for his dead-ball delivery and they worked on it in the week, but it’s different in an empty ground. He feels the atmosphere rising when they get a set-piece and tries to hit an area, but you need players attacking the ball too and there’s belief in the team that they can score from those situations.
Against a good team, West Ham know they’ll “have to suffer” at points, and asked about his pass into Antonio, he says he knows how good his mate is at taking down balls that aren’t all that.
Asked about last season, he doesn’t want to speak to much about it because he wasn’t there but he knows things weren’t great and the team saved itself by winning the Conference League. Then he departs, and already looks a terrific signing.
“Definite ‘your nan bought you this back from Benidorm because you like football’ vibes to Chelsea’s kit this season,” reckons Stephen Carr.
I quite like the simplicity, but the round neck is a bit odd.
Apropos of which, here’s Gary Pallister’s Man United debut. He turned out to be alright.
Chelsea, meanwhile, showed enough to suggest they can have a decent season. I’m not sure how they solve their firepower issue, but once Caicedo settles – and despite his mess here, he well – they shouldn’t need more than one or two goals to win most games.
What a result and performance that is for West Ham, and exactly what they needed to restore the Conference League buzz. They were physical, solid, menacing at set-pieces and when they needed serious quality, Ward-Prowse and Antonio supplied it
FULL-TIME: West Ham United 3-1 Chelsea
Paqueta collapses to the ground – it’s been quite a week for him – while Caicedo goes to ground too, finding equilibrium and perspective via prayer. But when he gets up, his new team have still been gubbed by bitter rivals.
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90+6 min West Ham have been really good second half, and Paqueta, who looked destined to leave just a week or two ago, celebrates with the Hammers sign.
GOAL! West Ham United 3-1 Chelsea (Paqueta pen 90+5)
Paqueta stops, stutters, eyeballs the keeper … and as he goes left, sweeps right! Game over!
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PENALTY TO WEST HAM!
90+4 min This is a nightmare for Caicedo! Emerson plays a one-two off Paqueta, whose backheeled return is lovely, then moves across the most expensive player in British football history … who can’t help but stretch out a lazy leg over which the Brazilian duly tumbles!
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90+2 min Now it’s Chelsea on the attack! This has been a breathless game, Madueke taking the ball out on the right and gliding inside before shooting – again towards the near-post corner, Soucek making things difficult for his keeper by sticking out a leg. And the deflection he imparts makes things tricky, but Areola plunges left to shovel away.
90+1 min Poor from Fornals, who gives away to Caicedo, but poorer from Caicedol who gives away to Fornals, and suddenly he’s got a run at Silva! He weaves into the box, leaning inside before dragging a shot outside towards the near-post corner … and Sanchez does really well to scramble away.
90 min We’ll have six added minutes.
90 min Disasi looks a little impetuous, and when Bowen gets a run on him, rather than see him into touch, he instead slams him over, allowing West Ham to consume more of however much time is left.
89 min West Ham have done really well since going down to 10. Chelsea have had plenty of the ball but very few opportunities, and I don’t think they’re due that much added time.
87 min “I hope that’s not the last we’ll see of Antonio,” returns Kári Tulinius. “Of all the Premier League players who’ve left for the Saudi league or are rumoured to be leaving, he’s the one I’d miss most. There aren’t many around who have his creativity of movement. This little moment in the FA Cup against Derby County is Bergkampesque.”
85 min Sterling does really well to isolate Paqueta, rinsing him on the outside before standing up another cross onto which Mudryk arrives. He’s plenty of time to watch the flight of the ball, arranging his body to cushion and side-footer into the far side-netting … only to slice a miserable effort wide and plenty. It’s just not working for him at the moment.
84 min Sterling’s been almost silent this half, but he dashes down the outside of Alvarez and Emerson, standing up a cross … that Ogbonna heads away.
83 min Now a change for Chelsea, the youngster Mason Burstow replacing Gusto; immediately, a Madueke corner yields another from the opposite side, and Mudryk’s effort is cleared.
81 min Change for West Ham, Alvarez for Ward-Prowse who, with two assists, has shown exactly why Moyes bought him.
80 min Again, Gusto crosses from the right, and Zouma’s header clear falls to Colwill on the edge … but he can only shoot wide.
79 min Chelsea work it out to Gusto on the right and his low cross is a good one, zipping down the corridor with no on there to attack it. So West Ham counter, Fornals sweeping a fine pass into Bowen, who feels Disai up his rear so knows he can turn away, eventually exchanging passes with Fornals prior to shooting from 20 yards, Sanchez fumbling before grabbing.
78 min No, he goes square to Caicedo on the edge and that’s the end of that.
78 min Mudryk has again done a lot of nothing, but he draws a foul from Coufal out on the left that allows Fernandez to swerve in another free-kick…
76 min Another change for West Ham, Fornals replacing Antonio, who’s been excellent second half. I’m not sure I understand this change because he’s an excellent out-ball whether holding up or on the chase; if he’s knackered, send on Ings or Mubama, er, “for me”.
75 min Change for Chelsea, Madueke on for Gallagher – who must know his starting berth could well be pilfered by Caicedo – though he may be saved by Chukwuemeka’s iniury.
74 min Disasi is the spare man in this latest attack, pumping a cross beyond the back post and behind.
73 min “Your clip of the 85-86 game,” emails Richard Gibbs. “The pitch reminded me of my playing days at Hackney Marshes! and also, why was Rougvie booked? He was giving Strachan, teammate in ‘83 when Aberdeen beat Real Madrid, a wee hug!”
Goodness me Rougvie v Strachan is a mismatch if ever there was one. And on the topic of Aberdeen, the BBC’s 1983 doc is worth your time.
71 min Gallagher runs across Paqueta, who goes down, so when he gets up Gallagher issues a minor shove. This game is nurturing a pleasing tetch, so let’s hope for the kind of scenes that no one wants to see. Meantime, Jackson is booked for some kind of dissent or aggression.
70 min Imediately, Moyes makes a chance, replacing Benrahma with Ogbonna. West Ham settle into a 4-4-1, and have 20+1705 or so to hold onto their lead.
RED CARD AGUERD!
68 min What on earth was he thinking? Jackson moves the ball away from him and he slides in two-footed, almost like he’s waiting to commit the foul, then commits the foul. The ref has no option but to show a second yellow card, and that is just rrrridiculous behaviour.
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67 min Again, Antonio does superbly, coming back to help his defence before bustling forward when the ball comes to him. He sends it wide to Benrahma, but the pass isn’t great and the chance goes.
66 min Effort.
Not that I like to talk about my many great works for the less fortunate, some months ago I did a @talkSPORT charidee bet.
— Barry Glendenning (@bglendenning) August 17, 2023
£25 treble on Alcaraz to win Wimbledon, England to win the U21 Euros and 🇪🇸 to win the Women's World Cup.
We're looking at a £4,700 collect.
65 min Chelsea half-clear and Ward-Prowse goes again, the ball eventually reaching Benrahma, on the edge, when Paqueta switches it from the left … and the eventuating shot skips just wide.
64 min West Ham counter, Antonio punching a pass in front of Benrahma, who bousts arounds Gusto … but Gusto gets back at him well, sliding in to concede a corner.
62 min Chelsea get the ball into the box when Gallagher goes down the outside, crossing across the face. And when Sterling then Gallagher have shots blocked, the ball falls to Caicedo, 20 yards out; he couldn’t, could he? No he could not, his shot flying over the top.
62 min This was lovely, though can’t believe they cut immediately before the “Joesph Yobo” rhyme.
It’s only ever been Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/LCYf6A2BQr
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 14, 2023
61 min Pochettino sends on Caicedo for Chilwell and Chelsea change to 4-3-3.
59 min Chelsea have had 77% possession and 33 touches in the opposing box to West Ham’s nine. For all the difference it makes. But they’ve a free-kick near the right corner now, after Ward-Prowse and Emerson double-team Sterling; Soucek gets a good touch on it, sending the ball out for a throw, and from there it goes clear.
57 min I can’t lie, I love Michail Antonio – how he talks about the game and how he plays the game – don’t forget, when he first came through, he was doing a job at wing-back. Given a fairer run with injuries, He’d have become an even better player than he is at his best.
56 min I said earlier that Chelsea don’t look to have enough goals in them, and I’m still saying that now. Jackson is electric, but at this stage, he’s not a killer.
WHAT A GOAL! West Ham United 2-1 Chelsea (Antonio 54)
Ward-Prowse clips a first-time ball over the top which Antonio takes well on his chest, moving away form Colwill and right of centre. But Disasi has him covered … until his legs open, allowing a brutal finish through them and past Sanchez into the far corner! That is a magnificent finish of power and intelligence – because make no mistake, he placed that – and West Ham lead again!
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53 min Colwill’s played well today and he gets away down the left, but with only Sterling in the middle his cross needs to be perfect and isn’t, far too strong and away over the other side of the box.
52 min Chelsea get their passing going again while, on the touchline, Caicedo warms up with an intensity that suggests he’ll soon be with us.
50 min Antonio knocks back to Paqueta, on the left touchline inside his own half, and with one straight pass he eliminates the wing-back as we discussed, sending Benrahma away! But on his left foot, Colwill keeps him from coming inside, so all he can do is bang a cross-shot that doesn’t trouble Areola.
48 min On which point, Chelsea had some proper bangers in the 80s.
47 min “In case you’re wondering, as I was,” begins Showbizguru, “why there’s no sponsorship logo on the Chelsea shirts it’s because they’re sponsored by Paramount+ and Sky felt there wasn’t enough room in town for two streaming services on screen. Seems a bit petty to me particularly as I don’t pay for either of them.”
This kit reminds me of their 85-86 Chelsea Collection situation.
46 min On Mudryk, he’s got work to do. I was surprised he didn’t play more at the end of last season, so he was used to the league for this; perhaps that tells us just how raw he was and perhaps still is.
46 min We go again. Mudryk is indeed on for Chukwuemeka, who I hope isn’t too badly knacked.
Half-time email: “You can’t judge players on World Cup performances,; advises Niall Mullen. “Except El Hadji Diouf, obviously, he’s a Liverpool legend.”
I actually referenced him just the other day, saying Thembi Kgatlana’s one-women forward-line performance for South Africa against Italy reminded me of his for Senegal against France. And more generally, I know what you mean, but also thought Maradona was good at Mexico 86.
Housekeeping: I didn’t see anyone come on for Chukwuemeka so was wondering if he’d definitely gone off, but can now confirm he has, there just wasn’t time to get Mudryk on in his stead.
But before that, some joy: here’s an Afrobeats and amapiano set from the mighty Front/Back Accra, delivered to you by the man DJ Shagy.
HALF-TIME: West Ham United 1-1 Chelsea
That was a really fun half, West Ham going in front with some classic Ward-Prowse behaviour before Chelsea, led by Raheem Sterling, found a terrific equaliser then missed a penalty to go in front. The second 45 should be decent…
45+8 min Ach, I was wrong. Chukwuemeka hobbles off.
45+6 min Chukwuemeka gets a bang on the knee and is down. I think he’ll be OK, especially with 15 minutes to recover. But in the meantime, he’s receiving treatment.
45+4 min “I completely agree with you that recent World cup wasn’t a high-quality tournament,” says Bogdan Kotarlic. “It was exciting, that is for sure, but the level of football was relatively low. I didn’t see so many great players – Messi, Mbappe and that would be that.”
And Messi was well past his best. I don’t think we’ve had a great international side since Spain 08-12, and before that France 99-03.
45+3 min But what about Raheem Sterling?! On the ball outside the box he suddenly explodes, whizzing by Paqueta and Ward-Prowse before slipping over a cross … which is missed both by Jackson and Chukwuemeka, Chilwell’s low effort then blocked away. Sterling is imposing himself here in a way I’ve not seen for quite some time.
45+2 min I mentioned Suarez earlier, with regard to beating men near the by-line; this is why.
45 min We’ll have six added minutes.
45 min Paqueta has a go at Sterling, then he turns away from Benrahma, who has a kick and misses, so Emerson makes sure, scything a couple of inches off his legs so Sterling issues a return barge. This precipitates minor altercations before Emerson is booked.
43 min Areola saves Fernandez's penalty!
It’s a decent height for the keeper, to his right, and he does really well to wait until Fernandez shoots, getting good purchase on his save to send the ball to safety! Fernandez is good, but maybe penalties aren’t his thing.
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42 min Was the tackle inside the box? It was on the line, I think, so yes … and VAR agrees.
PENALTY TO CHELSEA!
41 min Colwill into Sterling who turns, dashes away from Paqueta then, as he arrives at the box, Soucek ploughs through him on its edge for no reason whatsoever, and the ref points to the spot. Sterling has been excellent these last 15 minutes.
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40 min “You weren’t impressed by Mac Allister at the World Cup??!!” asks John Potter. “The 2022 World Cup? He was one of the players of the tournament for my money, and rated by plenty of others too. Just what was it he did that was so unimpressive for you?”
The standard was low. He played alright and I’m not saying he’s not good, but his performances were decent and no better. Was he great, dominant or definitive in any game? I don’t think so, and i doubt Matthaus was impressed.
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38 min Fernandez clips a decent pass inside Emerson as Sterling dashes onto it from on his other side … but a poor first touch means he can make nothing of it.
37 min West Ham win a throw down the right, Coufal hurls in, and when Soucek’s presence means the ball winds up at the feet of Paqueta, edge of the box, he forces a bobbler - yes, Trev is in attendance – that skips just wide.
36 min West Ham clear the corner and Antonio barrels away down the line so Disasi slides in to abort his endeavour, wearing the inevitable booking.
34 min Jackson looks a proper player and again, sent away by Sterling, he skates onto the ball. He can’t make anything of it, but then Srterling tugs back Paqueta, Paqueta waits for the free-kick, none is forthcoming, and Sterling sneaks off with the ball to win a corner. Paqueta is then booked for complaining, and you can fill in your own blank here:
33 min The problem when you play as West Ham, sitting back and inviting pressure, is that if you concede, as they have, switching momentum can prove difficult.
32 min Chelsea win a corner down the left and Fernandez swings in, but Colwill can inly glance his header wide.
31 min It really is incredible how much skill and awareness so many players now have. The difference these days is mental, even more than it was before.
GOAL! West Ham United 1-1 Chelsea (Chukwuemeka 29)
Brilliant work from Jackson down the by-line, Suarez-style, sees West Ham poke away. But they sustain the attack ands Colwill finds Chilwell, who hits the line and cuts back. He doesn’t pick out a man, but when Zouma stretches to clear, Chukwuemeka collects down the left of the box, sways inside then nips inside Soucek who’s off for jellied eels, and rams a curler into the far side-netting. That is a splendid finish.
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27 min Back to Fernandez, though he wasn’t rubbish, I wasn’t especially impressed with him at the World Cup – nor Mac Allister for that matter – he’s gone up a level since then. He looks to have the lot.
26 min Jackson touches off to Sterling, who slides a cunning return through the middle … but Jackson can’t quite gather a pass that’s perhaps a little behind him, and West Ham get the ball away. They look pretty comfy sat in their mid-to-low block, and Chelsea struggling to create anything serious.
24 min Fernandez looks by far the best player on this pitch and he appears on the right of the box to toss a cross towards the far post … that Chilwell glances wide.
23 min Nice from Chelsea, the ball moving from Fernandez to Thiago and down the left to Chilwell, who finds Silva. A clever punch down the line the sets Chuwuemeka away and he shakes off Coufal but, driving along the by-line to the box, can’t pick out an irate Argentinian.
22 min Here’s Gallagher again, taking possession from Enzo outside the box and, with no one doing anything, taking time to line up an effort that the keeper fists to safety.
20 min Again we see the value of Ward-Prowse, Areola collecting Gallagher’s corner via a head.
20 min Fernandez'’s passing is so accurate and astute. He slides a really good one in behind the West Ham defence, inside-right channel, and Sterling wins a corner off Aguerd.
18 min I can’t lie, I don’t like Sterling as a striker and I’d not be surprised to see he phased out of Pochettino’s first XI. But here he is driving at Emerson on the outside and thumping over a cross that Areola claims easily enough
16 min We see the goal again, and that Gallagher, focused on the man in front – his man – didn’t bother to look at the one behind. Has anyone ever seen a zone score a goal? No? Well that’s still what can happen if a team mark man-to-man and not zonally.
15 min “Make your own,” responds David Crowther on the chilli mayo issue. “Only requires two ingredients:
- chilli
- mayo
After which, make it as hot as you like it. Processed food relies on lowest common denominator effect.”
I agree. I recently enjoyed an epiphany otherwise known as being ill for a month, and am now endeavouring to change my behaviour.
14 min West Ham clear but Chelsea box them, so when Fernandez spreads to Chilwell, he has men to aim for in the middle, Jackson leaping ahead of a better-placed man behind to get under a header that goes over the top.
13 min Soucek down the line and Antonio ragdolls Silva but can’t then find a suitable pass. So Chelsea counter and Jackson, chasing back, robs Aguerd, setting Sterling away … only for Aguerd to bring him down. He’s booked and Enzo will now curl in the free-kick…
11 min “Your question regarding chili mayo is undoing some of that good healthy-eating commentary that you set up before,” writes Jordan Pickering. “But since one should never be without good mayo and even gooder chili sauce, why clutter the fridge with some off-the-shelf muck?”
Yes, that’s fair. I don’t like mayo and am in the process of kicking my 40-year-old salad cream habit, but do make my own hot sauce: scotch bonnets, lime juice, bit of water, blitz.
10 min Yup, Jackson went too soon and was offside. Areloa gets away with a right boob.
9 min Penalty Chelsea! Jackson races onto a through-pass from from Enzo, tips it away from Areola, who ploughs through him going nowhere – that is such silly behaviour – but then the flag goes up for offside. No penalty Chelsea! But how will VAR see things?
Updated
GOAL! West Ham United 1-0 Chelsea (Aguerd 7)
AND HAVE A LOOK! This time, new kid picks out Aguerd at the back stick, pulling off Chukwuemeka and Gallagher, heading down powerfully to give his side the lead! Ward-Prowse is a menace!
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6 min Coufal’s been getting himself forward to win another corner – this time off Gallagher, who plants his foot awkwardly and looks in some pain. Ward-Prowse will go again…
5 min Something pretty decent, Zouma heading down and Sanchez scrambling to shovel away as Bowen looks to force him.
4 min Paqueta limps off, but I think he’ll be OK to continue. Meantime, Coufal hurls in a throw, Soucek leaps, and Silva has to head behind. What can Ward-Prowse deliver from the right?
3 min Coufal lashes a ball down the right and Paqueta is down over on the other side; he leapt for a header, looked in pain before he landed and now that he has, seems to be in even more. He’s had better weeks.
2 min Chelsea make the early running, Jackson swiping at a shot as the ball races across him, barely making any kind of contact.
1 min I think it’s 4-2-3-1 for West Ham, Paqueta in front of Ward-Prose and Soucek.
1 min Away we go!
I’m glad Peter Drury is back on our screens regularly. He can be a bit shticky sometimes, but he’s got personality and the ability to lift the biggest moments.
Here come our teams, West Ham led out by Kurt Zouma. Seems only a few months ago he was famed for booting cats.
“Did you really call Raheem Sterling old!?” wonders Conor Galaska. “He is more experienced than most of the rest of the XI, though you said it in the context of stamina, he is 28.”
Yes, but he’s played a lot of games and summers so I’d be surprised if he can press with the ferocity he could four years ago.
I’ve just seen an ad for chilli mayo; is it any use, or still bland as?
“I have no idea how Chelsea will fare this season,” admits Kári Tulinius. “I feel that Pochettino’s Bielsista tendencies don’t really fit his squad, but perhaps he can stir their blood and have them run their heels off.”
I’m not sure about that; looking at today’s team, only Silva and Sterling are old, so the others should have plenty of stamina and desire. They know that you only succeed in the modern game if you run hard, and that if they don’t, they’ll not be getting picked.
Pochettino tells Sky that Caicedo and Lavia arrived late, hence the former is on the bench and the latter not in the squad. He hopes his team can dominate and win.
Moyes, meanwhile, hopes Ward-Prowse adds value, and because he knows the league, is starting whereas Alvarez in sub. He was impressed with Chelsea last weekend, but hopes his team can attack them when the opportunity presents.
It is my sad duty to report that just when you thought the London Stadium couldn’t get any worse, it now has a brass band playing Sweet Caroline.
Already, Chelsea’s team has a coherent look to it. I wonder, though, if they’ll score (anywhere near) enough goals, because Jackson is young, Sterling no longer has Guardiola football creating him chances, and no one else in the side has any pedigree whatsoever in that aspect. In one-off games, though, they already look a problem.
Oh, and of course feel free to send in your own suggestions for achieving more time on this mortal coil. If we all live to 120, will we see Everton get good again?
Villa have beaten Everton 4-0. Rob Smyth has the reaction.
While blogging the London Marathon, I gave – without context as stuff was happening – some health hacks. I was justifiably rinsed for this online and I realise this reads like a dreadful LinkedIn post, but in case it’s helpful to anyone, we go again.
I don’t like vegetables and in general am unrenowned for my life-prolonging eating habits, so now try and save 10 minutes a day where I try and make that happen, running around the kitchen doing terrible thing to myself. I
- Eating kimchi. sauerkraut and nuts (brazil, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, macadamias)
- Drinking green juice because I can chuck any liquid past the taste buds (kale, spinach, ginger, turmeric, blueberries, carrots water)
- After eating, drinking water minged up with extra virgin olive oil and cider vinegar
Appalling, yes, but I hope less so than premature and avoidable death.
Updated
It’s not hard to see where the game is for West Ham: they’ll be looking double-up down the flanks, ganging up on Chelsea’s wing-backs. And if that draws the wide centre-backs out to cover, all three midfielders have the ability to make things happen … wait for it … in and around the box.
You also wonder how Paquetá will get on. He may be relieved to be on the pitch, or may have things on his mind.
That West Ham midfield has a pretty solid look to it. I wonder if Moyes has actually gone for a 4-2-3-1 formation – he’s more of a 4-2-3-1 man than a 4-3-3 man – but why sign Ward-Prowse to restrict his ability to hit crosses, stuck in front of the defence?
Villa now lead Everton 4-0 but, as I type, Philippe Coutinho is being helped off with what looks like a nasty injury.
I can’t lie, I fear for James. He’s a fantastic player and also a phenomenal athlete which is why it feels especially odd to type these words, but too much more of this and we’ll start wondering if his body will undermine what will otherwise be a brilliant career. Godspeed, old mate.
And Pochettino does likewise, the (sadly again-) injured Reece James replaced by Malo Gusto. Caicedo is on the bench.
Updated
David Moyes makes one change to the side that drew with Bournemouth, Ward-Prowse coming in for Pablo Fornals; Alvarez is on the bench.
I shall now write them down, after which we’ll discuss what we reckon they mean.
Teams!
West Ham United (a possible 4-3-3): Areola; Coufal, Aguerd, Zouma, Emerson; Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Paqueta; Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma. Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Mubama, Fornals, Cresswell, Alvarez.
Chelsea (a likely 3-5-2): Sanchez; Disasi, Colwill, Silva; Gusto, Fernandez, Chukwuemeka, Gallagher, Chilwell; Sterling, Jackson. Subs: Bergstrom, Cucurella, Mudryk, Madueke, Ugochukwu, Caicedo, Maatsen, Burstow, Humphreys.
Referee: John Brooks (Melton Mowbray)
And we’ve also got live MBM coverage of Everton’s latest triumph; they trail 3-0 at Villa with 25 still to play.
First things first: Spain shaded England in today’s World Cup final and we’ve got all the reaction.
Preamble
In the summer of 2003, the world was a very different place – for reasons too depressing to enumerate. Now I realise that sounds like the start of a tweet glorifying xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia while revelling in the sheer bloody British joy of poverty, poor cuisine and being bombed. But stick with me a moment – not just because I’m obviously going to embed Crazy In Love – but because the summer of 2003 will forever be the summer of the yellow ticker.
In July 2003, Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea, a sad turning point in football. Most of us, though, were ignorant as to what was really going on and, with Sky Sports News in its golden age, found ourselves constantly looking up or flicking on to see yet another player arriving at Stamford Bridge. Look away now if you’d like to test your memory, but in ascending order of fee, the full list reads: Alexey Smertin, Glen Johnson, Joe Cole, Geremi, Wayne Bridge, Adrian Mutu, Claude Makélélé, Juan Sebastián Verón, Damien Duff and Hernán Crespo.
We may have thought such largesse was in the past … but we reckoned without the footballing genius of Todd Boehly who has, in just over a year, overseen a grand total of 59,343 new signings. For a while, the results of this policy were extremely amusing, but over the last few months, things may have changed. It now feels like so much money has been bussed on so many players – what skill! – that in among them is a good team, which Mauricio Pochettino is the right man to find. There’s a lot of work still to do, but at the most basic level, a midfield boasting both Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez makes Chelsea a hard night for anyone.
West Ham, on the other hand, have made a classic westham of this summer’s window. Though there was nothing they could do about Declan Rice’s departure, the delay in spending the proceeds undermined the ecstatic end to last season, and losing a lead late on at Bournemouth was a dispiriting way to start this – even before we mention Lucas Paquetá. But Edson Álvarez and James Ward-Prowse should be available today, and there’s little the home crowd enjoy more than sticking it to the posh lads from up west, so should be a serious tussle.
Kick-off: 4.30pm BST
