HAMMER WOE
Moyes’ side are floored by 10-man West Brom West Ham 0 West Brom 1
SLAVEN BILIC was sacked by West Ham in November 2017 as the club’s owners felt change was necessary in order to move forward positively.
How painful it must have been, then, for David’s Gold and Sullivan, even watching on from the comfy seats in the directors’ box, to see Bilic return and show them his new side, Championship leaders West Brom, who are heading in the right direction.
And, potentially, the opposite one to West Ham, now led by David Moyes.
With a second-string team and 10 men for the last 22 minutes, West Brom dumped West Ham out of the FA Cup in an act of revenge for Bilic.
On the basis of the 94 minutes that unfolded at the London Stadium on a desperate and depressing afternoon for the hosts, this was not the surprise that these two club’s respective divisions would suggest it was.
In an especially worrying first half for Moyes, West Brom looked like the top-flight side, and certainly one in waiting.
They were better, quicker, more composed on the ball, a cohesive football unit and comfortably had the superior players.
West Ham needed a half-time triple change, which resulted in their strongest available side being on the pitch for the whole second half, just to get a foothold in the game.
But they were lucky not to be out of it by then. West Brom were hardly overworked when a man down, and the home side did not have a shot on target until the 89th minute.
It made you wonder what West Brom might have done had Bilic brought more of his best players.
Bilic said: ‘I’m pleased with the result and even more pleased with the performance. The only thing at half-time I was not happy about was the result and we were winning. We should have been more (goals) up.’
Given the strength of the side Moyes picked and their Premier League position, this was the sort of display to increase relegation fears.
But Bilic, who saw the hosts booed off at the end of both halves, backed Moyes to keep West Ham up, and said: ‘It’s important for the crowd to recognise the situation, be behind the team and the club.
‘Sometimes, it’s easier when you play away. When you’re at home, it’s like 100 kilos is on your shoulders.
‘It’s down to the players, they have to do it, but they need that help. The manager will give them that, he is not afraid of being there. But it’s the crowd, it’s the crowd who have to be behind the team. Now is the time.’
In the ninth minute, the opener arrived. Conor Townsend firing a perfectly struck shot past Darren Randolph that was in as soon as it left his foot.
Going behind did little to wake West Ham. And Fabian Balbuena summed up the Hammers’ woes, giving the ball away so much, that he ended the half being sarcastically cheered when he successfully completed a pass.
Balbuena’s sloppiness was spreading and after Declan Rice was robbed, Charlie Austin was not the only one left in disbelief when he failed to bury a free header.
But Balbuena was put out of his misery at half-time along with Carlos Sanchez and Pablo Fornals in the triple half-time change which confirmed Moyes’ unhappiness with what he saw.
The Scot admitted: ‘I would have made a couple more changes if I was allowed.’
The substitutions improved West Ham, who were given further hope when Semi Ajayi, impressive but on a booking for a first-half foul on Sebastian Haller, tripped Albian Ajeti to earn a second yellow and then a red card from referee Stuart Attwell.