West Ham are sitting precariously in 17th place, beaten by a West Brom side 4-2 that couldn’t believe their luck.
Nacer Chadli, Salomon Rondon and James McClean scored for the Baggies, alleviating the pressure on their manager Tony Pulis, and heaping it onto Slaven Bilic, who was dismayed to witness the second 4-2 defeat on the bounce.
West Ham’s defensive frailties are varied and fatal
The sheer variety in which West Ham conceded in this match was staggering. The first was a bizarre and unnecessary handball in the box by Arthur Masuaku. A floated cross was met, under no pressure, by the arm of the West Ham left-back, and it set a galling tone. The penalty was converted, and it was 1-0. Then, with West Ham having enjoyed a clear, crisp spell of possession, Angelo Ogbonna botched what should have been a simple clearance up the line, cutely attempting to tighten the angle, only to have the ball ricochet infield to a West Brom attacker. An error that was then punished severely by Salomon Rondon, who steered a rasping finish into the far corner. 2-0.
Then, a corner, a few minutes before the half-time break; the swooping ball was bundled out to Nacer Chadli, who shot toward the far post. A totally unmarked James McClean redirected the ball into the net, and suddenly West Brom – the team that, it so often appears, have some sort of allergy to goals – were 3-0 up and cruising. Their fourth goal was utterly ridiculous; Nacer Chadli tapped in from close range, after a break that came straight from a West Ham corner. With literally no defenders between Rondon – who was lurking on the halfway line – and Adrian in the West Ham goal, it was kamikaze stuff from the Hammers.
West Ham earned their ‘two-goal collapse’ badge last weekend. In this match it seemed they were successfully securing their ‘unlikely drubbing’ badge, and the colourful manner in which they ushered through the four West Brom goals meant Bilic could only watch on, dazzled and appalled. How does one solve such a varied collection of problems?
Nacer Chadli making good on his fee
With two goals in this game, both from positions of total centrality with the goalkeeper at his mercy, Nacer Chadli looked every bit a club record signing. He was the main beneficiary of West Ham’s generosity in defence, and looks very much the type of player built to succeed under Tony Pulis; hard-working, powerful, full of endless direct running, and with that rare habit of finishing clinically. His partnership with Rondon has already shown promising signs. Etienne Capoue has flourished at Watford since he left Spurs; Chadli – also one of those players bought with the proceeds from Gareth Bale’s sale to Real Madrid – might also find fortune at his new pasture.
Pulis staves of the boo-boys, for now
It was a lesson in efficiency – four goals from six shots on target. It was a display of patience and opportunism but West Brom’s goals were well taken and against the run of play. Or it was just one of those uncommon days when Pulis’ unprogressive style looks like it could win the Champions League, provided you play a team as defensively despairing as West Ham in every tie. The howls last weekend comparing Pulis’ style with raw effluence were not present today. Winning can do that, silence even the most vocal boo-boys. And while this win was a fine way to usher in the new Chinese owner, it will not please the masses as much when a team that can defend picks it apart. Pulis’ future might still be in doubt, even while he is basking in this raucous victory.
Bilic must show that he can tighten up his team again
There were echoes reverberating around this dismal display of the 4-3 loss to Bournemouth from early last season. In the first third of West Ham’s campaign last term they suffered 2-2 draws with Sunderland and Norwich, as well as that Bournemouth result and a 4-1 pasting at Spurs. After the Spurs loss, Bilic sent his defence into lockdown, with a lot of his primary attackers in traction.
West Ham went on to concede just four goals in their next eight matches. This season, not only have the Hammers lost three consecutive league games for the first time under Bilic, they’ve now lost back-to-back games conceding four goals. Simply put, Bilic must now prove he can repair it, once again.
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