BILIC GETS THE IDEAL GIFT
First points for birthday boy Slaven as Terriers finally brought to heel
There may not be a scruffier goal scored this season but, right now, West ham will take it.
Beggars cannot be choosers, and West ham had one hand out hoping for any scrap of good fortune against huddersfield last night.
David Wagner’s Premier League first-timers boasted the meanest defence in the country going into this game, and with 72 minutes gone West ham were struggling desperately to find a way through.
And then, they caught a break. Well, actually, they caught three. They say fortune’s always hiding in this corner of London, but it certainly popped its head around the door and said hello when the ball fell to Pedro Obiang.
Cheikhou Kouyate fed a pass in from the right to substitute Andre Ayew, who in turn found Obiang. From 20 yards out he tried a shot which, it is fair to say, did not look capable of troubling goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. And then, the intervention of huddersfield’s human pinball machine made it a match-winner. First the ball clipped Christopher Schindler, then it hit the back of Mathias Jorgensen and this sent it in a high arc, over a despairing Lossl in goal. It still needed a nudge from the inside of a post to make sure, but that was enough to finally send it into the net.
West ham’s stadium announcer immediately gave it to their man, but it may be one for the dubious goals panel. To be honest, if there is a ludicrous goals panel they might want to have a look at it, too.
West ham celebrated, however, as if blessed by a wonder from the boot of Lionel Messi, and good luck to them. On nights like this, it hardly matters how victory happens and it was not as if they did not deserve it. They were by far the better team, made the lion’s share of chances, had the most dangerous player on the field in Michail Antonio and responded well to significant pressure.
This was a good night, too, for Slaven Bilic, their very likeable manager. A draw would have been considered little better than defeat, despite huddersfield’s rugged reputation. And with one Premier League manager already gone, many were speculating Bilic could soon follow.
So this was vindication for him, too. When in the 65th minute he replaced Javier hernandez, who had worked hard to little effect, with Ayew, a section of the crowd booed his decision. It is not just the board that puts managers under enormous pressure here. So it was fitting that, having had a hand in the first goal, Ayew should then score the second, the one that as good as confirmed victory — even if Tom Ince did hit the bar for huddersfield late on.
Again, it wasn’t the most beautiful goal, but few cared for the aesthetics. Aaron Cresswell curled in a corner which Jose Fonte bundled towards goal and Ayew prodded in.
For Bilic, on his 49th birthday, it was better than any surprise, cake or present. The evening ended with the home support serenading him with ‘happy Birthday to You’ and the league table makess a finer sight this morning. West hamam are off the bottom, if not out off the relegation places, but threeree points is better than thehe giant zero the club has s been looking at since the campaign began.
It was good news, too, for goalkeeper Joe hart — his first clean sheet for 23 matches. Knowing how furious goalkeepers feel at conceding it must havee been hell for him. he didn’t n’t have much to do last night ght but what he did was accomplished.comtes It took 54 minutes for huddersfield to have a significantnificant shot on target but, when it came, hart was equal to the effort from Philip Billing.
The last time West ham played huddersfield was a League Cup tie in 1997 and the last time they were in the same division was the 1971-72 season. Under normal circumstances, West ham would expect to win this fixture at home, but this encounter felt anything but normal.
The worry going into the game was Crystal Palace. Not that by changing Frank de Boer they may spark an upturn in form and pull away from the relegation zone, more that despite having the worst start of any top-flight club since Preston North end in 1924-25, they were still not bottom
of the league. While notn settingting any PremierP League records going into this match, West ham had somehow done worse.
So this performance was better, much better, than many expected, certainly those arriving at the London Stadium in trepidation. West ham made decent use of Andy Carroll, playing his first game since April, and in Antonio had a lively, dangerous presence. On several occasions, he skinned Chris Lowe, in huddersfield’s left-back position, who was removed after 63 minutes. By then, West ham had already done enough to be leading comfortably.
That they did not was down to some rotten finishing and close shaves. Just two minutes had elapsed when West ham forged the first good chance of the game. Cresswell, who saw plenty of the ball on the overlap and appears to have been given Dimitri Payet’s responsibilities from corners and free-kicks, played Carroll in and his shot across the face of goal narrowly eluded Kouyate stretching at the far post.
The best chance came after 13 minutes, set up by Antonio on the right. he sped past Lowe, moved inside and cut the ball back to hernandez, in an excellent position 12 yards out. he had to lift the ball, with huddersfield men diving in to block, but even under such pressure should have done better than sending a shot flying up and ricocheting off the bar.
Carroll and Antonio had good efforts deflected, James Collins forced a save from Lossl and Kouyate shot wide from a good position, but huddersfield continued to resist. It is to West ham’s credit that they never succumbed to the tension, and there will be optimism with Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini still to return.
A period of quiet may also be helpful, from everybody at the club. They know who they are.
23 JOE HART kept a clean sheet for the first time in 23 league games last night. The previous match in which he didn’t concede was a 0-0 draw for Torino against Sassuolo on January 8.