Bilic’s Baggies humble Hammers
West Brom savour upset on return to West Ham
West Bromwich Albion’s infamous “Boiler Man” may have lost the halftime mascot race to West Ham United’s “Hammerhead”, but one suspects he could have given midfielder Carlos Sanchez a run for his money.
Sanchez was one of three players furious manager David Moyes hooked at half-time, but it did not prevent West Ham being dumped out of the FA Cup by Championship leaders West Brom.
Former West Ham manager Slaven Bilic, who did not celebrate his side’s goal, fielded a virtual reserve team and West Brom played the final 20 minutes with 10 men. Even so, West Ham did not even manage a shot on target before the 85th minute.
It was Sanchez who had helped to conspire to allow West Brom to score what proved to be the winner, deflecting the ball straight into the path of Conor Townsend, who beat goalkeeper Darren Randolph with a well-struck angled shot.
Sanchez was the worst of a very, very bad bunch – so bad in fact that Moyes admitted that he wished he could have taken off half of his team at the break.
When it was put to Moyes that he must have been pretty angry to make three half-time substitutions, the Scot said: “Yeah, I think I could have probably made a couple more if I was allowed. It could have been five or six.
“I just thought we passed the ball away, kicked cked the ball out of the pitch, we didn’t t have any control of the game at the time me in any way.
“So I wanted to see if I could do something ng that would make a difference. ce. I think it got better, the second nd half got much better, but we didn’t manufacture anything ything that was clear-cut.” t.”
West Ham had made only four changes for this fourth-round ound tie, compared ed with West Brom’s eight, and d by the time me Moyes sent on Mark Noble, Michail Antonio and Angelo Ogbonna, the hosts were pretty much up to full strength considering the players they had available.
“I saw it as a chance, I wanted to give the supporters a cup run if we could,” said Moyes.
“You can say sometimes it ’s a distraction, but I thought it could be helpful for us to get through.
“In truth, the only player we didn’t start was Mark Noble. We tried to keep him for the games that are coming up, the others were all carrying bits of knocks ” Sanchez had been awful in a first half in which West Brom, for whom 38-year-old Gare Gareth Barry started, largel largely dominated. It was backs to t the wall after defender Sem Semi Ajayi was shown a second yell yellow card and Bilic was rightly p proud.
“Our prio priority is the Championship, but also we wanted to not only give them [ West Ham] a game but go t through,” said Bilic, “We made so some changes to rest the players, b but also because we believe these players can do the job and they pr proved us right.
“We are top of the table, but we are not having the greatest run recently and this will help us to get back that little bit because players are only human. We didn’t lose confidence, but this will help.”
Kyle Edwards had seen a shot tipped wide before Townsend’s opener, and the visitors should have added to their single-goal lead after going ahead.
Filip Krovinovic headed a Townsend cross inches wide of goal and then Charlie Austin failed to hit the target after Dara O’Shea had picked out the unmarked striker.
Declan Rice had been the only player to threaten the West Brom goal with a shot that bounced wide before Moyes made his triple half-time substitution. But the manager almost saw his team fall two goals behind just five minutes later, as Austin’s header forced Randolph into a smart save.
The home side’s changes had helped them get on top and West Ham were given the perfect opportunity to turn the scoreline around, when Bilic’s team were reduced to 10 men for the final 20 minutes. Ajayi had been booked in the first half for a foul on Sebastien Haller and he was shown a second yellow card for taking down Albian Ajeti. Bilic responded to that setback by sending on Kyle Bartley.
Noble almost found an equaliser after bursting through the centre and curling a shot inches wide. And West Ham’s captain blazed over the best chance of the game in stoppage time from eight yards out, with the entire goal to aim at.
Unsurprisingly, West Ham were booed off the pitch and, with the threat of further fan protests, Bilic called on supporters to try to stick behind their team as they now concentrate on a Premier League relegation battle.
“Sometimes, it ’s easier when you play away from home,” said Bilic. “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. There is no time for anything else.”