Hammers fail their Oxford examination
EMBARRASSED? They should be. West Ham’s fans started the night here poking fun at London rivals Spurs for crashing out 24 hours earlier.
It turned out even worse for their side. Oxford – 12th in League One – fully deserved this four-goal victory after creating chance after chance.
At least Spurs managed to take Colchester to penalties.
West Ham were left trailing by substitute Tarique Fosu, who – fresh from his hat-trick against Lincoln last Saturday – rammed in the third goal.
Manuel Pellegrini’s men paid the price – plus tax and a tip – for dining out on the club’s win over Manchester United on Sunday.
Oxford manager Karl Robinson masterminded the famous 4-0 win over United in this competition when MK Dons boss five years ago.
His Oxford team, fresh from demolishing Lincoln 6-0, wiped the floor withWest Ham.
Elliott Moore was outstanding at the back alongside Rob Dickie before scoring the opener from close range 10 minutes after the break.
The excellent Shandon Baptiste worked tirelessly in midfield to earn his man-of-the-match award. Arthur Masuaku could not cope with substitute Mark Sykes whose delivery from wide set up another substitute, Matty Taylor, for a 71st-minute second.
Baptiste crowned a magnificent night here in Oxfordshire by ramming home the fourth in added time. It would have been even worse for the visitors had striker Cameron Brannagan not panicked when twice clean through during the first half.
Rob Hall too hit the bar from a stunning free-kick after 25 minutes.
Pellegrini cannot point to the fact that he rested nine players for this game as Oxford also made six changes.
Hammers’ record signing Sebastian Haller played most of the second half.
Jack Wilshere was among their best players yet was replaced by Felipe Anderson. Oxford keeper Simon Eastwood saved brilliantly from Pablo Fornals near the end.
Defeat here is a crushing blow for West Ham’s big ambitions following their record summer outlay. Their squad is big enough and good enough to cope with a Carabao Cup run.
The win over United was their fourth clean sheet in a row and they are fifth in the Premier League. Perhaps they were complacent.
By the end Oxford fans were taking photos of the scoreboard. This night will live long in their memories.
OXFORD (4-1-4-1): Eastwood 8; Ruffels 8, Dickie 8, Moore 8, Hall 8; Brannagan 6; Long 6, Forde 7, Baptiste 9, Mackie 8 (Taylor 68, 8); Thorne 7. Goals: Moore 55, Taylor 71, Fosu 84, Baptiste 90. WEST HAM (4-2-3-1): Roberto 4; Zabaleta 4, Balbuena 3, Diop 3, Masuaku 3; Sanchez 4, Wilshere 6 (Anderson 65, 4); Fornals 5, Snodgrass 5, Holland 5 (Haller 56, 5); Ajeti 3.