West Ham decided to allow the source, and snuff out the product.
It’s clear that Yohan Cabaye runs this Palace team, providing the zip and fever in the middle. His work – namely, intercepting passes and then releasing his wingers – is what makes this team go. So, as an opposing manager, you are presented with an obvious source of danger, and you have to either try and suppress Cabaye himself, and thus snuff out the threat at the source, or deny Cabaye any weaponry with which to hurt you. West Ham opted for the latter, sticking hard to Zaha and Bolasie, and allowed Cabaye, who was positioned deeply, to shuffle in possession unattended. Cresswell and Jenkinson were diligent in their marking in the opening stanza of the match, even when the Palace wingers switched flanks. Neither Zaha nor Bolasie provided more than one or two clear, icy moments of attacking incision in the first half. When Gayle departed, Zaha was removed and Bolasie restationed, so for West Ham, that was job done.
