Brilliant Bojan lights up sterile stalemate as Hammers stutter
IT IS a sign of the impressive evolution of Stoke that manager Mark Hughes can turn to the bench and call on the services of former Barcelona starlet Bojan Krkic who then served notice of his enduring talents.
This was Bojan’s first appearance since a 4-1 defeat by Crystal Palace on September 18.
He has had to bide his time on the bench as Hughes favoured Joe Allen and Wilfried Bony in a newlook forward line but yesterday Bojan emerged from the dugout to rescue a point with a superb goal and extend Stoke’s unbeaten run to six games.
He had only been on for five minutes when he hooked the ball goalwards to equalise and cancel out a Glenn Whelan own goal.
For West Ham, the draw was another setback. In their new stadium, Slaven Bilic’s side have failed to win against Watford, Southampton, Middlesbrough and now Stoke. Bilic knows this is not good enough and the mild boos on the final whistle indicated as much. They are 16th in the Premier League and their next four games include trips to Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool, as well as a home match against Arsenal.
For 45 minutes this was as mundane an encounter as you will see all season long although Stoke were brighter after three consecutive wins and they played the more incisive football. Yet their cutting edge was blunted by Xherdan Shaqiri’s injury and Marko Arnautovic suspension.
Hughes suggested a slow pitch was partly responsible for the poor game but Bilic was more harsh.
‘It wasn’t a particularly nice game of football,’ said the Hammers boss. ‘Neither team deserved to lose or to win. First half, we were flat, simply not good.
‘I can agree the pitch was slow but we played with too many touches, and that has little to do with the pitch. I was expecting to start better than we did.’
Stoke created the first major opening. Bony dashed upfield, but his speculative effort was blocked. It fell to Allen, who shot despite being off balance and the ball sailed over the bar even though Ramadan Sobhi was free.
West Ham’s best chances fell to Angelo Ogbonna who saw his header from a corner saved by Lee Grant before a Dimitri Payet’s free-kick whistled over the top of Grant’s goal.
In the second half, West Ham took the initiative. Payet twisted and turned on the left flank, cutting in and chipping a ball across the area. Michail Antonio eased his way in front of Glenn Whelan, glancing the ball on with a header that flicked off the Stoke man and deceived goalkeeper Grant. The managers agreed it should be Antonio’s goal but the Premier League have concluded it should be a Whelan own goal.
What cannot be disputed is Antonio’s threat. With him in the team, there is always a chance West Ham will score and it is his killer instinct that has persuaded Sam Allardyce and Gareth Southgate to pick him in England squads. With two international matches looming, Antonio’s timing may well be shrewd.
Hughes, however, had a couple of his own aces as Stoke searched for a way back and he introduced his little and large double act of Bojan and Peter Crouch. The equaliser arrived in the 75th minute and it was smartly conceived. An intelligent pass from midfield played Jon Walters in behind the West Ham defence and keeper Adrian rushed out to recklessly take the forward out of the game. Yet Walters had managed to get a touch before Adrian’s intervention and Bojan was on hand to volley the ball in.
‘It was a great finish by Bojan,’ said Hughes. ‘I’m pleased the referee played on instead of giving the penalty. Any frustration Bojan has had is that he knows Joe Allen has played out of his skin.’
West Ham failed to rally and Bilic’s concerns simply increase.
WEST HAM (3-4-2-1): Adrian 5.5; Kouyate 6, Collins 6, Ogbonna 6; Antonio 6.5, Noble 6, Obiang 5.5 (Feghouli 89min), Cresswell 6; Lanzini 5 (Fernandes 62), Ayew 5 (Fletcher 62); Payet 7. Booked: Antonio, Fernandes. Subs (not used): Randolph, Nordtveit, Zaza, Calleri.
STOKE (4-2-3-1): Grant 6; Bardsley 6, Shawcross 7, Martins Indi 7, Peters 6; Whelan 5.5 (Bojan 71), Adam 6; Walters 6.5, Allen 6, Ramadan 6 (Diouf 84); Bony 5 (Crouch 71). Booked: Allen. Subs (not used): Given, Muniesa, Imbula, Verlinden.
Referee: A Marriner (West Midlands) 7.