West Ham 4 Huddersfield 3
The Irons produced an unbelievably poor performance for the second week on the trot but somehow got away with it.
And if we had any sort of hero it would be the villain of the last two or three weeks Chicharito who turned defeat into a barely deserved but wonderfully relieving victory.
Before an extraordinary finish which left most of us bewildered but very happy we had been second best throughout to a lively Huddersfield.
The visitors fell behind to a Mark Noble penalty, took a 2-1 and then 3-1 lead, via some appalling defending notably from Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna who were continually dragged out of position and failed to mark up.
When they went 3-1 up in the second half via a Grant thunderbolt, the game looked well and truly up as we struggled to put anything much together at all.
However, an Ogbonna header from Cresswell’s corner and a couple from the Mexican – the winner on 91 mins – lifted us to 43 points, one point behind Watford and two off Wolves.
Extraordinarily the stats will show that both teams only had 10 shots on target between them for the seven goals.
Anybody who turned up expecting to see the Hammers turn on the style after Cardff couldn’t have been more disappointed as the Terriers scored twice in three minutes to take the lead after our penalty with the entire Hammers team looking at sixes and sevens.
We truly were awful but fair play to the fighting spirit which saw them come back to gain a precious three points ahead of the the international break.
Marko Arnautovic lasted 68 minutes before being hauled off for Lucas Perez but it was Chicharito – on for Antonio who somehow dragged victory from the jaws of defeat.
The game changer was Nasri for me. He was superb when he came on for Noble. Created chances, assisted Chicherito, turned the game.
Not sure how we got away with or got anything from one of the strangest games I’ve been to. Woeful defending and terrible passing for most of the match. Even Dec didn’t show his normal composure. Until he went off I thought Nobes was the only one trying.
Chicharito may get all the plaudits but for me it was Nasri who made the game changing impact.
I’m glad for the three points but haven’t got enough time to figure out how we got them.
A bizarre match indeed – we really look weak in midfield and at the back – as “deluded” fans we hated the saying “respect the point” – but I am beginning to feel the same way about “think like a big team” and even “technical players” – I know Anderson provided the cross for the winner but did little else and still gets knowcked off the ball too easily and then waves his hands in the air. In teh first half I thought taht the one player who looked up for it and was looking to make something happen was Antonio – but then he was taken off at half time – I guess he is not a technical player
With 42 points I am sure that we are already safe – I cant see Cardiff, Burnley, Southampton and Brighton all reaching 42 points. But I am not too confident about how many more points we will get this season – so we have to ask whether we have actually moved forward and how much given the big spend in the summer
Nasri was the real difference whose man-of-the-match display in last 35 minutes turned the tide. Whether we deserve the win or not, it certainly gives us something tangible to play for in the remaining games.
Hernandez played with much improved attitude today by staying on his feet and be incisive in front of goal.
This is a really strange season to try & make sense of. Game after game we are either poor for most of it or all of it, but here we are safe from relegation with a top half, even top seven, finish. Part of me is hoping we don’t finish too high in the table. It worries me that the owners will use a good final placing as an excuse for a low spending summer. This squad could just as easily be scrambling to avoid relegation next year unless it is strengthened in several positions. In the PL in recent years several sides that were top half finishers just a few back are now in the Championship- Stoke, WBA,Swansea. Burnley & Southampton are two that are in danger this year.
I wouldn’t agree that Huddersfield played us off the park, they had three meaningful attacks and scored 3 goals the fourth meaningful attack they missed a sitter. Hopefully against Everton Nasri replaces Noble in midfield COYI!!!