West Ham were well beaten by Brighton on the final day of the Premier League season, bringing to an end any hopes of a top-six finish.
The Hammers knew that a win on the final day would give them a realistic chance of qualifying for the Europa League, although they would also need Manchester United to drop points.
United did lose to Crystal Palace on the final day thanks to a Wilfried Zaha goal, and the Hammers appeared set for a top-six finish when Mikey Antonio scored a brilliant goal on the stroke of half-time.
The Jamaica international managed to turn and hold off Lewis Dunk before smashing an effort into the top corner.
But the Irons simply wilted in the sunshine in the second half.
Joel Veltman brought Brighton level in the 50th minute, shooting from just inside the box and seeing his effort squirm under goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
Danny Welbeck had a chance to make it 2-1 just after the hour mark but his effort whistled narrowly past the post.
Pascal Gross was the player to do it, as he scored a very similar goal to Antonio, turning brilliantly and smashing an effort into the top corner.
And Welbeck then scored a third in injury time, as he was given the freedom of the city to score a header from 10 yards out.
A woeful goal to concede that just about summed the afternoon up.
What a bitter disappointment, especially when our fate was in our own hands. The match typified the last quarter of the season with West Ham running on empty and at least four players – Antonio, Soucek, Fornals and Cresswell – all woefully out of form. By not strengthening the squad in January Moyes was left with Plan A and little else, with the bench offering more of the same but players who were usually less effective than those whom they were replacing. The next transfer market is vital, as is the promotion and integration into the first team squad of the best of the Under 23s. Moyes needs to get this right because he can’t wheel out the same team again next season. He also needs to show more tactical flexibility as other teams know our set-up too well. The frustration is that it was still a successful season but could have been so much better.
Not sure what was said at HT but that was a car crash of a second half. Not helped by the dithering in getting subs on. It was clear Johno and Yarmo were going on at 70mins but took 10mins to give them there instructions. Very disappointing although Brighton deserved the win with an energetic second half, creating far too many chances.
Still, a good summer transfer market (please Moysie!) and we can be back in the Europa League next season. COYI
This puts me in the mind of the American concept of a horse shoe nail. For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of the shoe the horse was lost. For want of the horse the man was lost. For want of the man the battle was lost. For want of the battle the War was lost and all for the want of one horse shoe nail.
David Moyes did not buy in the Winter and we are now seeing the result. Tired Players. To many old men were played, we were supposed to be looking for a Leipzig not the Geriatric Elven. David Moyes is obsessed by playing old campaigners. This means for want of a good sized squad , we lost the chance of the Europa League Final, we lost the chance of the Champions League and now we have lost the chance of the Europa League and all for the want of some decent additional Players.
Please Board in the name of mercy don’t let David Moyes pick and choose who he will or will not have . Let him make a list and buy as your experts on these matters in recruitment tell you.
Martin61
I’ve watched all season when we are wai5to make subs. It always takes dithering Dave 10 minutes odd to bringa player on. 81st minute today.
Moyes is the worst manager I’ve seen in making subs we’ve lost countless points from his dithering and non substitutions.
Moyes is fully entitled to feel let down by his players at Brighton…but equally he – or the board – let the players down for not buying some back up in January. That said why did we not inject some youth? We have squandered opportunities to at least take a look at a few youngsters, and give them and the Academy some encouragement for the future. Some eager young lads, keen to impress, and rub shoulders with Nobles, Rice, Antonio etc would hardly have done much worse than the tired out-of-contract players, and might have offered Options for Plan B, C and H! And we do seem slow bringing on the subs, but maybe, as they invariably offer so little, perhaps the bench are hoping the players still on the field will somehow lift their game for a few minutes?