Tomas Soucek’s winner pushed the Irons into ninth place and put an end to their miserable recent form . In what became a rip roaring second half the Irons brushed aside a scruffy first half performance to show some courage and class after going behind but winning the game 3-2 via Bowen’s equaliser and the Czech midfielder’s winner following a goal inside two minutes from Lucas Paqueta,
Soucek’s winner pushes Irons into ninth place
The lads could hardly have had a better start than when were gifted a goal in two minutes with Nicolas Dominguez’s pass hitting Ibrahim Sangare before ricocheting into the path of Lucas Paqueta, who was able to take a few touches before arrowing a low shot into the bottom right corner!
The Hammers were very lively for the first ten minutes or so but as things progressed they lost their tempo and ten minutes later Areola was forced into an incredible left handed save to keep out Taiwo Awoniyi’s close range header.
After that the game became increasingly scruffy with half chances until almost ion half time the visitors broke through Morgan Gibbs White who shot could only be parried by Areola and Awoniyi followed up to tap home.
The second period was far livelier and both sides missed early chances through Emerson firing wide and Forest man of the match Elanga just wide of an upright before Gibbs-White did the same.
But Elanga put the visitors ahead firing low past Areola from a neat pass in. The Irons showed their courage though and were level within a minute when Bowen headed home from a JWP corner.
The boys really stepped it up and finished with a flourish, Tomas Soucek heading a fine goal into the deepest corner of the net from yet another Ward-Prowse set piece.
I’m sorry to be a grouch, but let’s analyse the game properly and be honest with ourselves. It wasn’t that West Ham were good in the second half. It was that Forest were even worse.
The painfully slow build up. The passing back – even from attacking moves.The terrible lack of movement off the ball – one-one making themselves available to receive the ball, which is why they often have to pass backwards. It was shocking to watch. We can’t just carry on relying on JWP’s set plays.
West Ham have some really talented and experienced Premier League and international players. I just wonder what they’re doing in training all week. Sometimes they seem surprised they’ve been passed to. Only Moyes can make a bunch of talented players seem so ordinary.
Unfortunately this win buys him more time, when, in actual fact, nothing has changed. It’s still garbage.