Hammers blow for Moyes
10-man Albion too good for his old club
SLAVEN BILIC was sacked by West Ham in November 2017 as the club’s owners felt change was necessary in order to move forward.
How painful it must have been then for the Davids — Gold and Sullivan — to see Bilic return to West Ham and show it is his new side, Championship leaders West Brom, who are heading in the right direction.
And, perhaps, t he opposite one to West Ham, now led by the Croat’s successor David Moyes, who is back for a second spell.
With a second-string team and 10 men for the final 22 minutes, West Brom dumped West Ham out of the FA Cup in a bit of sweet revenge for Bilic.
In an especially worrying first half for Moyes, the Baggies 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 second half, just to get a foothold in the game.
West Brom were hardly overworked when a man down — 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 to the London Stadium.
Bilic said: ‘I’m pleased with the result and even more pleased with the display. The only thing at half-time I wasn’t happy about was we should have scored more.’ Given the strength of the side Moyes picked and their precarious position in the table, th is was the sort of display to increase relegation fears. But Bilic, who heard West Ham booed off at the end of both halves, backed Moyes to keep West Ham up and said: ‘What is important is the crowd 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 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.’
Despite big home games this week against Liverpool and Brighton, injuries contributed to Moyes making just three changes to his starting side compared to the eight from Bilic who was sparing his best players for their promotion push. Not that you would have known it.
By the time their ninth-minute opener arrived, Conor Townsend firing a perfectly-struck shot past Darren Randolph with his left foot, it had been coming.
Going behind did little to wake West Ham up. And Fabian Balbuena summed up West Ham’s woes, giving the ball away so much, that he ended the half being sarcastically cheered when he successfully completed a pass.
Balbuen a’ 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.
Paraguayan Balbuena was put out of his misery at half- time along with Carlos Sanchez and Pablo Fornals in a rare, triple change which confirmed Moyes’ unhappiness with what he saw.
He said: ‘I would have made a couple more changes if I was allowed.’
The new faces 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 from referee Stuart Attwell. It was then attack versus defence. Manuel Lanzini, twice, Mark Noble, Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio all shot wide and Rice finally tested goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.
West Ham’s best and final chance to score came in injury time and fell to the one man they would want it to, Noble, but he blazed over the deflected cross that ran his way.
Noble fell to his knees, head in hands in despair, and West Ham’s FA Cup hopes were gone for another season.
Cue another chorus of loud boos from the home fans.