Marko Arnautovic may have been the best striker on the pitch but he was far from a happy bunny at the end and that’s how it works for winners.
The Austrian – on his second game back – was into the old routine and had a snap shot on the turn in the first half had hit the net it might have been a different game.
As it was the Hammers had to produce some serious retrieving football to make sure Brighton didn’t complete four wins on the bounce against a hammers team which for long periods lacked balance, authority and organisation.
That of course won’t do for the team’s talisman and whilst he might have been expected to be happy with his eventual contribution that’s not the way things work in his world.
Instead speaking to the BBC after wards he summed the game up from his, the team’s and the fans perspective declaring: “I can’t be happy.
Obviously we talked about wanting to win at home. First half was a boring game from both sides, second half they had two set-pieces and after those we started to play football.
“With a bit of luck we can take a win away, but we didn’t and it was a fair draw.”
If we give full effort the whole game, we would win these games. Snodgrass looks tired out there. Need more from the midfield too. I love Declan but what the point of playing Declan and Obiang, neither seems to have the ambition up front. Noble comes in and he is always looking up, trying to get the play forward. Is it me or does Diop miss Balbue na. Since he went down, Diop has had some shockers. He has to do better on that second corner.
I agree Rezman I have been saying that without Balbuena, Diop seems to struggle. He’s been taking all the plaudits this season but to be honest I think it’s Balbuena who males that back line tick. He’s an ex captain so it males sense.
Even with Balbuena that defence makes me anxious. Without him I agree it looks worse. Lack of clean sheets tells the story. The games like Watford & Burnley when the attack doesn’t perform could be turned into draws at least if we could beef up the defence a bit. We got out of jail tonight but can’t always do that…..
I think diop has definitely suffered from balbuena being missing as ogbonna is so inconsistent.played well when came on v Watford and ok at Southampton but just isn’t good enough all the time and even though he wont be the only one but when VAR comes in he will give a pen away every game at a corner
Spot on re Ogbonna. I watched him carefully last night at set pieces. Another Ref could have given 3 pens quite easily. It’s not WWF. He seems incapable of marking without a bear hug being involved. I don’t know how he keeps getting away with it.
To be fair there are a lot of PL defenders who are going to be found out. Alternatively the refs may realise they are giving two pens in every game & hold one of their little ‘seminars’ where they decide to change the rules.