PELLEGRINI SACKED
Loss at home to Leicester is the final straw for West Ham boss
DEFEAT by Leicester reserves proved too much for West
Ham. Manuel Pellegrini’s sacking has been a chronicle of a death foretold. Last night, amidst jeers and boos, the end finally came for the Chilean.
They were not actually terrible against Leicester. Yet they were also not ever entirely credible against a team that had made nine changes. And that would prove enough for owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
Pellegrini appeared his usual slightly prickly if worldly wise self when he appeared for the post-match press conference, his last duties for the club.
‘I cannot answer,’ he said when asked whether he would be the man to take the club on.
Turns out the trust had gone. No home wins since September and two wins in 13 Premier League games makes for an unhappy home. West Ham fans jeered their manager’s substitutions and boos echoed around the cavernous sweep of the stadium at the final whistle.
David Moyes is likely to return, presumably resisting the urge to say: ‘I told you so.’ He made way for Pellegrini 18 months ago.
Time was when Leicester might have been benign opponents in such circumstances. But they have changed. They were once a homely club you could complement, patronise and beat comfortably. These days there is a swagger about them.
No matter that Manchester City and Liverpool have swept them aside of late, when up against Premier League mediocrities there is a ruthlessness about them.
No Jamie Vardy, no problem. Their striker’s wife, Rebekah, had just given birth to their fifth child, so he had paternal duties. In fact, Brendan Rodgers made nine changes in all from the Liverpool defeat and, while West Ham also made seven changes, it was an indication of Leicester’s ascent that they could feel confident enough to do so and win.
With Rodgers now at the helm, they are a class apart from all but the best in the Premier League. Which must irk West Ham. This is approximately what they were promised when they were wrenched away from the Boleyn Ground to the soulless modernity of the London Stadium. Not the title, of course. But a step up towards the elite. After all, if Leicester can, why not West Ham?
It always seemed a precarious arrangement, a traditional fan base being dragooned into this brave new world. It has not been good since they moved in but this latest episode has been particularly bad.
They do get some things right here, though. The moving and finely judged tribute to World Cup winner Martin Peters, led by team-mate Sir Geoff Hurst, was the prelude to this. Peters’ children, Leeann and Grant, looked on as Sir Geoff compared his old friend to Steven Gerrard. The sense of loss all around was palpable.
In parts, West Ham can look good. Indeed, the return of Lukasz Fabianski after three months out makes a huge difference. But while Felipe Anderson or Sebastien Halle might shine fleetingly, they are not producing the sustained excellence their transfer fees suggested they might.
The consistent energy of Leicester over 90 minutes was exemplary for West Ham. ‘It was a brilliant testament to the players,’ said Rodgers. ‘This is a league where you have to be at your maximum, especially the way we play. To play how we wanted to play today, we needed that energy and attitude and for that the changes were important.’
Leicester were at West Ham as early as the eight minute, Demarai Gray floating in a ball for Kelechi Iheanacho, who nicked the ball past Fabianski. The Pole, unable to stop his momentum, cleared out the Leicester striker. A caution and penalty followed. Gray stepped up but did not hit it cleanly and Fabianski redeemed himself with a fine diving save.
Leicester remained the brighter side and that told when Marc Albrighton’s cross was not cleared by Arthur Masuaku. James Justin sent it straight back in towards the far post, Ayoze Perez headed it back goal-wards and Iheanacho nudged it in.
West Ham somehow issued a riposte before half-time. Felipe Anderson broke down the right, exchanged passes with Ryan Fredericks and crossed for Pablo Fornals to turn in for his first Premier League goal.
West Ham could not be relied upon to sustain such competence into the second half. Their plight was perhaps best illustrated in the 58th minute, when Issa Diop tried to execute a clever tactical foul by blocking Iheanacho on the half-way line.
In taking out one threat, he cleared a path for Perez to run straight through West Ham’s defences, releasing Gray. Clean through on goal, Gray finished cleanly.
West Ham would threaten briefly with substitutes Michail Antonio and Albian Ajeti but there was little conviction.
And, at the end, the familiar soundtrack of this stadium had returned: those groans and jeers of a disillusioned and disenfranchised fan base.
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Fabianski 7; Fredericks, 6 Balbuena 6, Diop 5, Masuaku 6; Sanchez, 5 (Snodgrass 62min, 6) Rice 6; Fornals 7, Lanzini 6, (Ajeti 71, 6), Anderson 6; Haller 6 (Antonio 55, 7). Booked: Fabianski, Diop, Masuaku, Rice. Leicester (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel 7; Justin 7.5, Morgan 6.5, Evans 7, Fuchs 6.5; Mendy 7 (Ndidi 69, 6.5) Choudhury 7; Gray 8 (Barnes 83), Perez 7.5 (Maddison 64, 6.5), Albrighton 7; Iheanacho 7. Booked: Choudhury. referee: D Coote 6.