SLAV GETS A
SLAVEN BILIC enjoyed a huge stroke of luck last night just when he needed it most.
Struggling to break down a gritty Huddersfield team, the Hammers took the lead in the 72nd minute when Pedro Obiang’s shot took a huge deflection of Mathias Jorgensen.
And when supersub Andre Ayew bundled in a second five minutes later, after Jose Fonte prodded an Aaron Cresswell corner into the danger area, things were looking up for the Hammers boss.
A team in turmoil, a manager under pressure, frustrated fans packed into an unloved stadium. What could possibly go wrong?
The sacking of Frank de Boer at Crystal Palace earlier in the day must have left Hammers chief Bilic glancing nervously over his shoulder, if he wasn’t already after three straight defeats.
Palace acted with utter ruthlessness in axing their dodgy Dutchman. But the Hammers started this game below them in the Premier League.
Bilic had also openly criticised cochairman David Sullivan’s transfer policy in the build-up to this game.
But he told his players to do their talking on the pitch and recalled striker Andy Carroll almost provided the perfect response inside two minutes.
Playing for the first time in five months, Carroll held off his marker and swung in a low cross which Cheikhou Kouyate was inches from converting.
Then Javier Hernandez got in on the act, hitting the woodwork when he probably should have scored after another great cross, this time from Michail Antonio.
Jonas Lossl saved a header from James Collins which deflected off his marker’s back and Carroll, causing all sorts of problems, headed a chance over.
There was pace and purpose from Antonio, fire and fury from Carroll. Controversy too, with Winston Reid not even booked after accidentally kicking Philip Billing in the face as he fell backwards.
But the Terriers didn’t own the division’s best defensive record for nothing and by