If anything guaranteed that West Ham had to stay on the front foot in the second half of this fixture, it was conceding a poor goal after building a two-nil lead.
No chance of Nuno sitting back after his side gave an easy goal back to their opponents: Heading into half time at two-one seemed like a negative, however, neither Hermansen nor Mavropanos covering themselves in glory by allowing Wolves back into the game at the worst possible time.
A glorious Makassa strike from 25 yards and a Bowen penalty following a brilliant jinking Piroe run gave the Hammers a commanding lead – which evaporated after a weak turnover allowed Marshall Munetsi to shoot low past Hermansen after jinking left and right to bamboozle Mavropanos.
2-1 at Half time and nothing was certain, it felt like this game could still end up 5-3 to either side.
Mavropanos scored at both ends
Twenty minutes later it was 4-2, Mavropanos having scored at both ends, and I was regretting my ‘5-3’ prediction at half time. How a side can go 4-1 up and not look confident of winning is testimony only to the depth of the mental scars left by relegation: It will take a long time yet for the belief to return to West Ham’s players and supporters.
Fair play to Nuno, his substitutions were all like for like, midfielder for midfielder, defender for defender, no sitting back tonight.
Austbø for Solomon (who worked his socks off) gave fans a brief glimpse of the Hammers latest acquisition who looked energetic at least with a directness and willingness to run at opponents.
Supporters all had the same thoughts.. surely West Ham couldn’t cock it up at 4-2 ahead at 85 minutes?
Not this time.
West Ham even managed to survive four minutes of added time- despite one close shave- to grab the huge first three points and a morale boosting home win. Not perfect, but who cares. “Bubbles” instead of boos at full time. Excellent.
More than the win tonight was the way Amanda Staveley celebrated the West Ham Goals
If my maths is correct, if Sullivan exercised his rights to the Gold shares, it would be another 12.6% of the club’s shares and with his original 38%, that would give him over 50%
That hopefully he’s agreed to sell to Staveley
No doubt if he has he would have to offer his shares to other shareholders first
Bowen still looks miles off the pace he will also try but he is defenaitly struggling to find any form.We need a sub for him as he can’t keep playing the 90 min,I would have taken him off after 60min
Scarles couldn’t even deliver a throw-in to one of his team mates and it’s criminal we have no left backs in the squad of at least Championship standard.
Mavropanos is an accident waiting to happen and is a guaranteed goal start to the opposition. Even his goal was millimetres away from being the first ball to ever get kicked out of the stadium, his control was that bad.
I guess Orford is the latest to fall out with Nuno and wonder how many others will follow if Nuno somehow survives the next few weeks. Maybe I ‘m being unfair but felt we won in spite of a Nuno not because of him. Also, horrifying to see Staveley in the stands.
Third time. Mukasa. Not Makassa, not the lad from Lion King. Mukasa.
Please try and spell your own players correctly.
But for a missed penalty against Charlton we would be unbeaten. The point at Burnley now looks better having beaten another rival tonight. Pleased for Scarles hopefully the keyboard warrior bullies will get off his back for a while at least
Slow as usual and Scarles was caught out for their counter and cross for the second. Caught out a number of times in the first half when not tracking back and Engels covering.
It’ll be a long season with him as our only LB.
Great game. Hats off to Nuno the West Ham disgruntled mob were sharpening their knives before this one. Ridiculously early in my opinion but there you go, he survived it.
Far from a convincing performance, and the scoreline flattered. But a win is a win 😉