AFC Wimbledon 1 Irons 3
Diop – grabbed the vital equaliser
Some things in life never change like West Ham knowing how to put their fans through the wringer.
Ok, we know the League Cup is noted for upsets – a competition many clubs don’t take too seriously – but to be made to fight every inch of the way against 10 man AFC Wimbledon was not exactly what was required after a dodgy PL start.
We went behind within two minutes when Ogbonna missed out to Pigot who scored a great header from the game’s first corner.
Seventeen minutes later Joe McDonald was given a second yellow and red for fouling Chicharito but it took another three quarters of hour – despite utterly dominating affairs – for the Irons to equalise.
And it was young Issa Diop who produced a great drive to level things before thundering a header against the woodwork.
Thankfully Oggy made amends for his earlier error with Pigot when making amends, driving low into the net before Chicharito scored a typical goal inside the area from a great pass from late sub Arthur Masuaku.
But it was very very hard and at the end Pablo Zabaleta summed it all up when he said: “It was tough and we have to be more clinical. We need to be stronger than this.”
No arguments there Zaba.
Shout outs for Snodgrass and Yarmolenko – looking good in the centre and wide – whilst Zaba was always getting forward and over lapping.
Rice was steady but there’s still a bit of work to do at the back where we need a settled central defensive partnership with two players understanding each other’s game.
But at the end of it all a win is a win which is bound to give a shot of confidence ahead of the vital PL game against Wolves this weekend.
Sorry Hugh, Yarmolenko was poor! Too many step overs only to end up on the one foot he has! Mostly poor quality into the box with only a handful of good passes. For me the jury is out for a clearly one foited player and not a goid performance tonight. Extenuating circumstances tonight due to goal and red card so the 80% pocession not unexpected. Wolves on saturday will be a better example of where we are as a team and how we are progressing under Pelle.
I think it was exactly what we needed. A game which, in previous seasons we would’ve struggled to get anything from. Rice was accomplished which, given the media furore he’s experiencing right now, is testament to the guy and a further sign of things to come. Yarmo is still finding (both) his feet and will come good. He showed loads of endeavour, which is what we ask for. He’s not played, so give him a break. It’s pretty tough to break down a team when they have 10 players (including their goalkeeper) in an area the size of 1/9th of the pitch!!