In an absorbing, pulsating derby yesterday which was riveting viewing for the neutral, West Ham and Millwall shared the points in a game which the Lions really should have put to bed in the first half.
The Hammers’ second half comeback was apparently inspired by Nuno’s demands for a more physical second half and a half time Jarrod Bowen -led team talk, according to the NY Times today:
“Nuno urged his players to show more aggression and challenged them not to concede another goal. The players also spoke amongst themselves, with club captain Jarrod Bowen leading the talk.“
And, according to the same report, the final whistle did not signal an end to the two sides’ physical confrontation. Away from the TV cameras, as the two teams headed back to their respective dressing rooms, the face-offs continued as the evidently not-so- calm Hammers’ skipper weighed in:
“With Millwall letting a two-goal lead slip, tempers flared after the final whistle. Arne Engels and Caleb Taylor defused a confrontation between Bowen and Mathis Servais (Engels’ fellow compatriot) — and there was a heated altercation in the tunnel involving players from both sides”.
As Bowen explained, quoted in the same article, the passion of the fixture actually attracted him to staying in east London after the Irons were evicted from the Premier League:
“You understand the tradition that a game like this has, the hatred and the rivalry that it brings,” said Bowen. “When we went down last season, that was part of my decision to stay, to play against Millwall. I’ve achieved a lot at this club and enjoyed some great things, but playing at Millwall, some people have never experienced it.”
Remember that come 21st February next year, Jarrod, with the return fixture, and stick a couple of goals past the Lions to make up for missing out yesterday.
Altercation my arse.. If the football journo’s would really like to experience the game at its most savage. I suggest they go and watch the mayhem during and after matches at Hackney Marshes on any sunday morning. I have the scars and a buggered up knee to prove it.
what a load of rubbish handbag stuff in the tunnel.its a pity they didnot show that attitiude on the pitch.the simple truth is they expected millwall to lie down expose their throats and let us tickle their tummies.our mentality was appauling.we are west ham and we are massive was that their mantra?we are legernds in our own minds nobody cares its west ham.they just want to do us.this isnt west ham a team from the east end this is west ham international fc.they had no idea or didnt care.maybe bowen did.in this league before you start producing the pretty stuff you have to earn the right.you have to get down and dirty.stop the cuddling love ins before the start of the match its silly and quite frankly childish.what nonesense we have to go 2-0 down before we wake up. we cant do a wrexham every week but please no more of this guff.
The media still desperate for a negative story out of the game, even at this late stage. Surely the journalists who witnessed this “altercation” would have led with the story in their reports yesterday if true? I do like Jarrod’s sarcastic sense of humour though 😊⚒️⚒️