West Ham missed a bucketload of chances, including a penalty kick, as they slipped to a second defeat of the season at Nottingham Forest.
The newly-promoted side picked up their first win of the campaign at the City Ground thanks to Taiwo Awoniyi’s scrappy finish, as they managed to see out a 1-0 win that was built on defensive resilience.
The Hammers created so many chances throughout the game, chief amongst them a penalty that was won after Scott McKenna handled the ball as he tried to block a Tomas Soucek shot.
Declan Rice stepped up to take it but his shot was tame and Dean Henderson made a simple save after guessing the right way.
The Hammers had to weather an early storm in the first half but actually created the best early chance, as Said Benrahma whipped an effort at goal from range. Henderson saved and it bounced to Soucek, but Harry Toffolo was able to clear the ball off the line.
And the Hammers thought they had the lead on 41 minutes. A brilliant, surgical counter-attack led by Said Benrahma saw the ball fed to Rice, who gave it back to the Algeria international, and he finished.
However, Mikey Antonio was adjudged to have committed a foul in the build-up and the goal was chalked off.
To rub salt into the wounds, Forest scored just four minutes later. Toffolo jinked his way into the box and crossed to Jesse Lingard but his shot was scuffed. Ben Johnson attempted to make a block, but it ricocheted off Awoniyi’s knee and into the bottom corner.
Pablo Fornals hit the crossbar just seconds after the restart and the rebound came to Soucek’s head, but Henderson sprung up to make a brilliant save.
Forest then had a goal ruled out by VAR, as Brennan Johnson was ruled offside after being sent through and lifting the ball over Lukasz Fabianski.
Benrahma, who was excellent on the left flank all day, then hit the bar with a dipping free-kick before the penalty was given and missed by Rice.
Gianluca Scamacca and Maxwel Cornet were given their debuts as the Hammers tried to find a way back into the game and Kurt Zouma saw a header dramatically cleared off the line.
But Forest managed to hold out, leaving the Hammers with two defeats from two league games thus far this season.
I felt for Antonio, he was manhandled by Forest all day and IF he’d have fallen down in the clash in the build up to the disallowed goal, I doubt it would have been given…. West Ham had 19 attempts and 5 on target, with nothing to show for it. Early days, but Lady Luck doesn;t seem to be on West Ham’s side so far.
Didn’t think we played badly actually, and I think that is the most effective I have seen Benrahma, and just for once he wasn’t subbed! Having said that, why bring on Cornet for Bowen on the right? Hope we don’t start thumping high balls up to Scamacca now – that won’t do. Hit the bar and bounced down twice, one kicked off the line and a missed pen, we were lively.