Sunderland 2-2 West Ham: Match review

A trip up north to the Stadium of Light for West Ham, as they faced a Sunderland side who have fail to score in their last 7 matches… step forward the mighty Hammers!

Slaven Bilic named Edimilson Fernandes in his starting line-up, on the Swiss man’s 21st birthday. Captain Mark Noble was suspended, so Andy Carroll took over the role again. Starting with a 4-2-3-1 formation Darren Randolph, despite a dip in form, continued in goal.

Sam Byram, James Collins, Jose Fonte and Arthur Masuaku made up the back four after a clean sheet last week. Cheikhou Kouyate and Fernandes were the holding pair with Robert Snodgrass, Andre Ayew and Manuel Lanzini all given the role of creating chances for the big man Carroll up top.

A flying start

West Ham came out flying and within the first two minutes Lee Cattermole pulled down Ayew on the edge of the box as the Ghanaian was on the counter. Lanzini stepped up 20 yards out and produced a great save from Jordan Pickford in the Black Cats goal. From this West Ham kept the pressure on and a cross in the box was kept alive from Carroll, who hooked it back into Ayew’s path as he tapped home for 1-0.

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For some reason, and I can not work out why, whenever the Hammers go ahead in a game they never seem to want to kill off the opposition. And yet again this happened, from a corner crossed in on a windy day, the ball flew straight over Randolph’s head as he just laid on the floor – arguably a foul from Victor Anichebe, but Randolph has got to be doing better in his own six-yard box. 1-1.

Second half… same story

Just like the first half, Slav’s men came out flying, this time with the wind in their advantage, a whipping ball in from Snodgrass and Collins headed home for 2-1 early on in the second half. I don’t want to sound like I’m repeating myself but, again as I mentioned before we don’t kill teams off, for some reason we seem happy to go ahead then sit back. All the side was doing was passing it across the back line. In truth was boring to watch, we look so slow and sloppy, and have got nothing going forward.

Sunderland dominated the second half after going behind but other than Jermain Defoe they lack goals and it was clear to see; if they did have a finisher we would have been in trouble. Chance after chance was being created and the Hammers were holding on, Billy Jones, the Black Cats right-back was clattered and knocked out cold late on and from this Fabio Borini came off the bench and 10 minutes added time were shown on the board.

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Keeping Errors

A huge floating ball into the Hammers area for some reason caused all types of problems. Any decent keeper would have come collected, time wasted and that would be game over, three points and go back home. But this is West Ham after all and we don’t do things that way! Randolph came rushing out flapped, dropped the ball not once but twice allowing Borini to smash home to level in the 90th min.

2-2 and a point away from home – Usually in the Premier League that’s not a bad thing, but against a Sunderland side who are all but doomed, we should be going to places like that and taking maximum points.

Right-back problems

Sam Byram has finally got his place in the team, after injuries and not being fancied, he has had a run in the starting line-up as of late. He was booked for a hold on Anichebe, which I agree was a foul but didn’t warrant a yellow card – especially with some of the tackles that went unnoticed by referee Andre Marriner. After Sunderland scored their last equalizer, Bryam smashed through winger Khazri, a silly tackle really, out of frustration and he will now be banned for the next game.

Confusing substitutions

Players showing a lack of respect

As a travelling fan myself, just like thousands of other Hammers, we spend our weekends travelling all over, from hotels, food, drink and travel most matches cost a minimum £200 per person! After a poor performance against a struggling side, just like every away game everyone sang their hearts out from the first to the last-minute.

Next: Bilic's Stubbornness costing West Ham points

I have got to say I was absolutely disgusted at many of the players as the full-time whistle blew, apart from James Collins, Havart Nordtveit and Andy Carroll, all the others walked off without a look over to us lot! Now I understand football is frustrating and makes you angry and annoyed when you lose, but show and appreciate the supporters who pay your wages and spend thousands over a season to come and watch you. I was in complete shock!!

Next up for West Ham is Everton at home on April 22nd, the Toffee’s are without an away win in five, so we all know what that means!! Especially with Romelu Lukaku up front who seems to score every game we play against them, nine in eleven in fact, so they might as well start a goal up!