Hammers break penalty duck

West Ham were awarded their first penalty of the season last night, the last Premier League club without one until today. Last week David Moyes insisted one reason was his players remained on their feet and didn’t partake any diving or acting.

The Hammers were unlucky not to get a penalty in the opening minutes at the London Stadium when Craig Dawson was fouled by Enda Stevens and referee Simon Hooper pointed to the spot, but after a VAR consultation the decision was overturned.

There was no arguing when a  clear-cut foul on Lingard resulted in a penalty later in the game.

Lingard took the ball to take the penalty but designated penalty taker Declan Rice took it off them after they exchanged some words.

After post match about the incident Rice said “I just said to Jesse, ‘Look, the gaffer, I don’t want to be battered by him and by the assistants in the changing room if I don’t take it’.

‘I said I don’t want to be that guy that looks like I’m taking the ball off you, but I said, ‘I’m on them mate so obviously can I have the ball’.

‘I was buzzing to put it in the back of the net and, more importantly, we’ve got the three points.’

West Ham’s last penalty came against Manchester United in July 2020 when Michail Antonio spot kick beat David De Gea, before that it 22nd January 2020 when penalty king Mark Noble scored against Leicester City.

Declan Rice can now boast a 100% record in penalties although he has a way to catch up on Mark Noble who has taken 42 missing just four and converting 38.

 

 

 

About Sean Whetstone

I am Season Ticket Holder in West stand lower at the London Stadium and before that, I used to stand in the Sir Trevor Brooking Lower Row R seat 159 in the Boleyn Ground and in the Eighties I stood on the terraces of the old South Bank. I am a presenter on the West Ham Podcast called MooreThanJustaPodcast.co.uk. A Blogger on WestHamTillIdie.com a member of the West Ham Supporters Advisory Board (SAB), Founder of a Youtube channel called Mr West Ham Football at http://www.youtube.com/MrWestHamFootball, I am also the associate editor here at Claret and Hugh. Life Long singer of bubbles! Come on you Irons! Follow me at @Westhamfootball on twitter