Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night.
Bruno Lage speaks to Sky. “In the first 30 minutes, we controlled the game. We controlled the game with the ball. We had three good chances to score. Then the first time West Ham got to our goal, they scored. Second half, we tried to bring more energy, and to be more aggressive in the final third. I don’t have doubts that we are a different team when we have a striker. After that, we created good chances. If you work for the result, and the chances we have, and the chances West Ham have, we don’t deserve that. But it happened, and we need to move on. I think Fabianski did a fantastic job today. We are a different team when we have a striker. We need to condition Diego Costa to play at this level.”
David Moyes talks to Sky. “It was really good. We’ve lost a few games quite narrowly, but today we got over the line, which was all important. I don’t think we played as well today as we’ve played in other games, but we got two good finishes and it’s important those boys got on the scoresheet. Wolves are a good football team and we had to be patient. We missed a couple of big opportunities as well. Scamacca did really well. Folk keep saying: what are you not playing him for? We do want to play him! But he needs to get a level of fitness to get used to the Premier League, and you could see after 60 minutes we had to make the change. But he struck the ball well, led the line well, and we’re really pleased with him. I believe we’ve signed a lot of really good players, and I do think they’ll come good. Really as a manager you’d choose to bring in only three or four players, but because of our numbers and our situation, we had to bring in eight or nine. That sometimes takes a little longer to bed in.”
John Brewin was at the London Stadium tonight. He’s delivered his report, and here it is.
Jarrod Bowen talks to Sky Sports. “It’s just what we needed. We haven’t had the start we wanted. We suffered without the ball, we knew that, but we’re a tough group to break down, and you saw the chances we had on the break. Two well-taken goals. There are a lot of games until the World Cup, so hopefully this is the first win of many.”
Gianluca Scamacca adds: “It was amazing. A first goal for the fans. But we needed to win, and we worked very hard. It was a good victory. It was so important. We will keep going and work hard.” Additionally, upon receiving the man-of-the-match award, he jokingly expresses hope that his Fifa rating will go up as a result.
A match that won’t live long in the memory. Not that West Ham will care. They were deserving winners, Gianluca Scamacca opening his Premier League account in the first half, Jarrod Bowen scoring his first league goal of the season in the second. Wolves remain the lowest scorers in the division with just three goals to their name in eight matches … though they carried a bit more of a threat when Adama Traore and Diego Costa linked up, and Chem Campbell looked promising, so no need to panic just yet. The travelling fans didn’t sound too happy with Bruno Lage, mind you.
Updated
FULL TIME: West Ham United 2-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
West Ham leap out of the relegation zone to 15th. Wolves drop into it.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Aston Villa | 7 | -4 | 7 |
| 15 | West Ham | 8 | -4 | 7 |
| 16 | Southampton | 8 | -5 | 7 |
| 17 | Crystal Palace | 7 | -3 | 6 |
| 18 | Wolverhampton | 8 | -6 | 6 |
| 19 | Nottm Forest | 7 | -11 | 4 |
90 min +2: Rice has a dig from distance but his shot is blocked by Traore.
90 min +1: Emerson strides down the left and hits a cross-cum-shot that deflects off Neves and out for a corner. Nothing comes of that, but there goes another minute.
90 min: Antonio takes the ball towards the corner flag only to fall over and gift Wolves possession. No matter, time is on side regardless, with just three added minutes remaining.
88 min: On Sky, Alan Smith names Gianluca Scamacca as his man of the match. I’d have gone for Jarrod Bowen myself, but each to their own.
86 min: West Ham see out a couple of minutes in professional style. Nothing happening.
84 min: A Wolves corner comes in from the left. Moutinho’s delivery is appalling, a low drive towards the near post, where Cresswell hacks clear.
83 min: Cresswell is booked for a cynical slide on Traore.
82 min: Emerson sprays a pass out right for Bowen, who takes a touch before instantly swiping it further down the flank for Antonio. Once again Antonio enters the box and sees his shot blocked.
81 min: Antonio bounces off Kilman and romps down the inside-right channel. He enters the box and aims a curler towards the top left. Blocked. He’d probably have done better rolling across the face of the box for Rice, but hindsight is 20/20.
79 min: Moutinho advances on the West Ham box but then sails a directionless pass out for a goal kick. Wolves still stuck on that three-goal mark for the 2022-23 Premier League.
77 min: Campbell looks in the mood. The 19-year-old Wales winger dinks one in from the left, and neither Soucek nor Fabianski look comfortable dealing with the cross. So they don’t. The ball bounces narrowly wide of the right-hand post.
76 min: Campbell dribbles in from the left, beats a couple of men, and lashes a low shot inches wide of the left-hand post. That would have been some introduction.
75 min: Traore looks for Campbell with a right-to-left diagonal rake. Kehrer intercepts and cushions the ball back to Fabianski with his trouser arrangement. Team before testes. Brave and selfless.
74 min: Paqueta is replaced by Emerson.
73 min: Bruno Lage sends on Traore and Campbell for Semedo and Nunes. The away end breaks into a rendition of You Don’t Know What You’re Doing.
72 min: Now Podence puts the ball in the net, slotting Costa’s low right-wing cross. But the flag goes up correctly for offside, Costa having gone too soon when chasing after Traore’s initial pass.
71 min: Traore looks to curl one into the top right from the edge of the West Ham box. Inches wide.
70 min: Antonio barges his way down the left before slipping a pass infield for Paqueta, who goes over Kilman’s leg on the edge of the box. West Ham want a penalty, but they’re not getting one.
69 min: … and then up the other end, Fornals nearly puts West Ham out of sight. But his shot, from the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, bounces harmlessly across the face of goal and out for a goal kick.
68 min: Wolves have enjoyed nearly 70 percent of possession since the start of the second half. Fabianski has nevertheless had very little to do. He should have been made to work here, Traore crossing from the right, Costa rising highest, eight yards out. He’s got to score, but powers his header wide right. He holds his head in his hands. That should have got Wolves back into it.
67 min: Fornals bustles down the left and tries a curler towards the bottom right. Easy for Sa.
66 min: Antonio comes on for Scamacca.
64 min: Costa was earlier caught on camera swigging from a can of Popular Energy Beverage, mind. So there is that.
62 min: Traore crosses again from the right. Costa challenges Fabianski at the far stick, but the keeper is always going to win that one. Still, this is better from Wolves, who now have a focal point, albeit one desperately short of match fitness.
60 min: Traore nips in between two defenders down the right and dinks into the box. The cross only just evades Costa, so no dream start for him. West Ham half clear. Podence returns the ball with a whip towards the bottom left. It’s on target, but snaffled by Fabianski.
58 min: Wolves may as well go for it now. So here comes Diego Costa! He replaces Guedes, and comes on to pantomime boos … and a smile and a warm welcome from his old Chelsea mucker Zouma.
56 min: That was a fine finish from Bowen, who hit that with such venom that Sa was never getting to it in time. Wolves try to respond immediately, winning a corner down the right, but when Guedes gets the ball at his feet, he dallies and the chance to shoot is gone.
GOAL! West Ham 2-0 Wolves (Bowen 54)
Kehrer takes a shot from distance. The ball balloons up off a defender and drops towards Bowen, just inside the box on the right. Bowen takes a touch inside to knock the ball past a spinning, confused Ait-Nouri, and lashes into the bottom right!
Updated
52 min: Rice is booked for losing control of the ball and clipping Moutinho when lunging to retrieve it.
51 min: Semedo crosses from the right. Kehrer’s clearance is dismal, the ball dropping to Traore on the edge of the D. Traore returns it immediately, the ball screeching inches wide of the bottom right. So close! Fabianski was never getting there.
49 min: This is a bit better, though, as Podence extends a leg to bring down a long pass on the edge of the West Ham area, and wins a corner. From that, Neves bumbles a miserable long-distance shot wide left of the target.
47 min: Ait-Nouri advances down the left and pulls back for Moutinho, who has time and space to shoot … until he inexplicably lets the ball run under his foot and away. Wolves look utterly bereft of confidence in the final third.
Wolves get the second half underway. No changes.
Half-time entertainment. A splash of schadenfreude to make Wolves fans feel a little better.
HALF TIME: West Ham 1-0 Wolves
As things stand, the Hammers will leapfrog Wolves and Crystal Palace into 16th place. Wolves will drop into the relegation zone.
45 min +3: Bowen looks for Dawson at the far stick. The delivery is poor, the ball sailing out for a goal kick.
45 min +2: Scamacca sends Bowen into space down the inside-right channel yet again. Bowen enters the box and takes a shot. Blocked. Soucek recycles possession near the right-hand corner flag, and is shoved over three times by Nunes before the referee finally awards a free kick. This is effectively a corner. Bowen to take.
45 min: Podence turns and sends a low shot goalwards from 25 yards. Straight down Fabianski’s throat. There will be four added minutes.
44 min: Paqueta slips a ball down the inside-right channel for Bowen, who enters the box and crosses to nobody in particular. Kilman hoicks clear.
43 min: Podence, just inside the West Ham box on the right, swivels and shoots. The ball takes a huge deflection and drops to Ait-Nouri, free near the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. Ait-Nouri doesn’t have the confidence to take the shot on, and his low cross is blocked. No wonder Wolves have only scored three goals this season when they’re carrying on like this.
41 min: Scamacca flicks on a long punt down the middle. Fornals swings a leg, hoping to send a long-distance lob over an out-of-position Sa … but takes a comical fresh-air swipe. Full marks for ambition, if nothing else.
40 min: Wolves have enjoyed 85 percent possession during the last ten minutes. But to what end?
39 min: Wolves pass it around to very little effect.
37 min: Fornals clips Guedes. Free kick, 35 yards out on the right. It’s tapped to Jonny, who attempts to release Semedo down the wing, but clumsily clanks out for a goal kick. Semedo never had a chance of reaching the ball. After a bright opening ten minutes or so, Wolves now look impotent.
35 min: Podence works his way down the right and forces Zouma into shanking out for a corner. Nunes takes, and fails to beat the first man.
34 min: Cornet, having been accidentally caught on the ankle by Podence, is forced to make way for Fornals. Nunes appears fine to continue for now.
33 min: Yep, it pinged off Jonny’s head. It may well have flown in anyway, mind you. Meanwhile Kehrer accidentally lands on Nunes’s ankle and the Wolves man goes down. Cornet also requires treatment. A lot of players in the wars here.
31 min: That shot might have taken a deflection en route to goal, ensuring Sa was never getting there. But it was fine work all round by Scamacca, both in setting the attack in motion, and finishing it off. He opens his Premier League account in only his second start!
Updated
GOAL! West Ham 1-0 Wolves (Scamacca 29)
What a goal this is! Scamacca drives down the left and plays Bowen into space with a threaded diagonal pass. Bowen advances towards the box but loses control as he shapes to shoot. Wolves half clear. The ball falls to Scamacca, just to the left of the D. He takes a flick and sends a rising shot towards the top left. Sa had no chance.
Updated
28 min: Moutinho sends a diagonal pass towards Semedo, near the corner flag on the right. Semedo attempts a volley that would make Marco van Basten’s famous strike against the USSR in the 1988 European Championship final look like a tap-in … with predictable consequences. Goal kick.
27 min: Wolves stroke it around the back in the sterile fashion. Their patience irritates the home support, which is possibly the entire point.
25 min: Bowen sends Soucek scampering down the right. Soucek crosses long, towards the far stick, where Cornet lashes at the dropping ball and sends it wildly over.
24 min: Neto limps off and is replaced by Traore.
23 min: Scamacca balloons a ludicrous free kick miles over the bar. Upwards at 45 degrees. What an absurd waste. Neto goes down again.
22 min: Moutinho is booked for a cheeky clip on Bowen while lying on the floor. A free kick for West Ham coming up, 30 yards out, just left of centre. Before it’s taken, Neto limps back on, but he’s not looking comfortable at all.
21 min: Guedes sends an outswinger towards the far stick. A dangerous ball, but nobody touches it, and it bounces out harmlessly for a goal kick.
20 min: Nunes spins elegantly away from Paqueta and drifts in from the left flank. He slips a pass wide right for Semedo, who draws a foul from Cornet. A free kick just to the right of the West Ham box. Guedes to take.
19 min: Neto gets up and jogs about for a bit, but suddenly pulls up again, unable to put weight on his ankle. Not sure he’ll be continuing.
18 min: Neto is down getting treatment. It looks like he’s twisted an ankle while trying to tackle Bowen.
16 min: West Ham should be leading. Kehrer plays a cute reverse pass down the inside-right channel to release Bowen into space. Bowen drops a shoulder to enter the box and curls powerfully towards goal. Sa can’t keep hold of the shot. The ball breaks to Scamacca, who only needs to dink over the prone keeper to score, but reacts clumsily and sends the ball squirting wide right.
Updated
14 min: Neves cynically blocks an in-flight Bowen, and is booked. He’s out of next week’s match at Chelsea. Wolves are already missing Nathan Collins for that one.
12 min: … so having said that, West Ham get out of their own half. Cornet flicks on down the left to release Scamacca, who sends a screeching shot across Sa and inches wide of the bottom-right corner. A fine effort, though it transpires he was well offside.
11 min: David Moyes is already on the touchline issuing orders to Bowen. He looks reasonably concerned at West Ham’s inability to get out of their own half.
9 min: Jonny shovels a pass down the right for Semedo, who with a better first touch would be striding into the area, preparing to shoot. But that first touch lets him down. Wolves look confident.
8 min: Jonny advances down the inside-right channel and sends a speculative shot towards the bottom left. Fabianski turns out for another corner. Nothing comes of that, either, but Wolves have already done a job of silencing the home crowd.
7 min: Jonny and Semedo combine well down the right. The former slings in a cross that’s easily cleared, but Wolves are beginning to press West Ham back now.
5 min: Ait-Nouri backheels down the left for Guedes, who releases Nunes into the box. Nunes drops a shoulder to evade Kehrer, who slides away hysterically, but then slices a woeful shot away from goal when faced with a not particularly tight angle. That was a great chance.
4 min: Nothing comes from the set piece.
3 min: Podence pearls a shot goalwards from the best part of 30 yards. It’s on target, and Fabianski is forced to tip over for a corner.
2 min: Scamacca chests down a long pass and looks to turn. Kilman is all over him like a limpet and refuses to cede ground. A reasonably fast, direct start from the hosts.
West Ham get the ball rolling. They launch it long, and Wolves don’t look particularly sure of themselves when clearing. Bowen dribbles into the box from the right and is barged over by Nunes. He wants a 50-second penalty, but he’s not getting one, the coming together ruled fair.
The teams are out! Both teams are in their first-choice clobber. West Ham wear claret and blue, Wolves old gold. Pretty bubbles in the air. We’ll be off once most of them fade and die.
David Moyes has a chat with Sky Sports. “We’re glad to be back home. Hopefully that helps us. We’re looking for better performances. Probably there’s a little break-up of the team. We’re changing it round a bit and it’ll take a while to settle. But we’re well aware we need to get some results.”
Sky ask Bruno Lage about Diego Costa. “My team is completely different with a striker in the team. It was two weeks very good, the way he trained and the people around him, especially the wingers, play with him. But in the end we need to understand there are more games in front. But it’s a good sign and good news that we can have a striker in our squad today.”
West Ham make three changes to the starting XI named for the 1-0 defeat at Everton. Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet and Craig Dawson take the places of Michail Antonio, Vladimir Coufal and Pablo Fornals, who all drop to the bench.
Wolves make one change to the XI sent out for the 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City. Nathan Collins, sent off in that match, is suspended, so Nelson Semedo takes his place. New signing Diego Costa, who left Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro in January, starts on the bench.
The teams
West Ham United: Fabianski, Dawson, Zouma, Kehrer, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Cornet, Scamacca.
Subs: Coufal, Fornals, Antonio, Lanzini, Downes, Areola, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Emerson Palmieri.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Jose Sa, Nelson Semedo, Jonny, Kilman, Ait Nouri, Matheus Luiz, Neves, Joao Moutinho, Pedro Neto, Daniel Podence, Goncalo Guedes.
Subs: Boubacar Traore, Sarkic, Mosquera, Gomes, Ronan, Costa, Adama Traore, Bueno, Campbell.
Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire).
Preamble
West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are respectively 17th and 18th in the table. They’re the joint lowest scorers in the Premier League so far this season with just three goals in seven games. The Hammers haven’t won at home in six; Wolves have won just once on the road in 14 trips.
Wait! Come back!
Thing is, both sides are capable of much better than this … and both will see this fixture as the perfect opportunity to kick-start their season. West Ham have won three of their last four matches against Wolves, who in turn have won three of their last six at West Ham. Excitement isn’t quite guaranteed, but it surely won’t be long before one or both of these teams rediscover their mojo. Tonight could be the night. Tonight also may include bonus Diego Costa fun. Kick off is at 5.30pm BST. It’s on!
