The noticeable absence of real intensity was the biggest problem for me tonight and that starts in the dressing room.
Beyond that David Moyes picked a team for the occasion and we march on so there can be no serious complaints.
Beyond the decision to being in Lanzini for Fornals the team more or less picked itself and in the end the better team won.
The manager will have been unhappy that a perfectly timed opener was quickly cancelled out but delighted he has the man with fire in his boots back – Antonio – to snatch what was a deserved winner.
It would be wrong not to give credit where its due on a night when we passed the highest number of points we have previously achieved in the Premier League we celebrate the result.
However, perhaps there was some disappointment at the end that we weren’t really going for it and instead closed the game down by sending on Noble
Moyes rating 7
I think David Moyes is doing a great job and has got the most out of the squad. Very well organised. Tough to beat and disciplined. Good football at times on the break. Less good at dominating the ball and scoring more against the weaker teams- need some more attacking options for that and another goal scoring forward. I think he knows we are vulnerable if we have to chase games ( Man U and Chelsea come to mind)- only time we have looked vulnerable at the back, which looks a bit exposed against pace without Rice and Souchek in front of them
Whist Hammers results are much improved under Moyes, his substitutions are mostly bewildering? He constantly subs Benrahama who we rely upon for quality creativity & persistent goal threat. Benrahma was our best player against Burnely & WBA until withdrawn too early. It turned the match in favour of Burnely for the last 20 mins.
If it were not for missed easy chance by WBA it could have cost a draw tonight.
Noble is now an embarrassment. so why bring him on when we need to hold onto a narrow lead?
Noble an embarrassment? He was called upon because – strangely enough – we didn’t have any Lewandowski sitting on the bench.
Noble did what was expected and He closed out the final minutes of the game,which seems to be his required duty these days.We definately need a new striker who has got intent for scoring goals..Curious who we will end up with.Next up Palace and hopefully another 3 points.
After the first 42 minutes of the match West Ham hah had two shots on goal. Against a relegation team. And WBA could have drawn the game at the very end with a clear chance.
I don’t know if the players are being told to play like this, but it does not make it very exciting to watch. It is obvious we need at least one good new striker. And some eagerness to score a few goals against a team that have conceded 43 goals so far this season.