West Ham shows strong defensive performance in 10-man draw

West Ham jumped out to a tight lead at the 30-minute mark but an aggressive challenge from skipper Mark Noble garnered a red card and forced a massive change in game plan for the Hammers. Despite a late equalizer, this was a solid performance for the Irons.

The Goal

I’m not sure if he actually did it or not, but the General had his first salute in the West Ham claret and blue! Off of a set piece from just outside of the box won by Grady Diangana, Felipe Anderson floated in a terrific ball that Declan Rice sent back across the box finding Fabian Balbuena’s head, then the post, then his foot, then the back of the net.

It was an amazingly well-worked goal for West Ham who clawed their way back into the match after a slow start, ceding the majority of the ball to Leicester City. The presence of mind Rice showed to head the ball to Balbuena was incredible, and the patience to stay onside that Balbuena showed earned that goal and more.

It was all too promising a start for West Ham, but it was short-lived.

The Red Card

Just eight minutes after West Ham took the lead Mark Noble went studs up on a slow but dumb challenge into the legs of Wilfred Ndidi. Was it an ugly challenge? Yes. Was it a dumb challenge? Yes. Was it a red card? I’m not sure. Leicester City didn’t seem like they expected a red card as their protest was evident but not over the top. Even referee Michael Oliver went for a yellow card first then changed his mind and reached to his back pocket for the red.

Whether the challenge deemed a red card in retrospect, it is never a good idea to put it in the referee’s mind that its a possibility. Noble let his team down here, but let’s not get carried away on slating him, okay?

By the way, the decision was made because there was intent to injure a player and because it was a hard tackle at high speed. Michail Antonio took an elbow to his jaw on an aerial duel later in the game that didn’t even get called. Welcome to the non-call club, Antonio, Andy Carroll will get your jacket.

The Response

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The area where West Ham lost the player was arguably the best place to get a red card (if that makes sense). Manuel Pellegrini stayed with his 4-3-3 formation despite back-to-back losses, which easily shifted to a 4-4-1 formation with the sending off. Pellegrini continued into the second half with the same team, as well, with Felipe Anderson and Grady Diangana avoiding halftime sacrificing for a defender.

When the subs came they were pretty guessable. Chicharito, who played well throughout his time on the pitch, was subbed off after 61 minutes for Michail Antonio. Antonio is faster and stronger which suits the counter-attack football West Ham were forced into playing.

Aaron Cresswell took off Diangana at the 75-minute mark and stepped into the back line as a right centre-back in a now back five. Masuaku stayed wide with more freedom up the wing mirrored by Zabaleta on the right side.

The final sub was Anderson off in the 81st minute for Angelo Ogbonna who played a defensive midfield role beside Rice. Ogbonna’s sub allowed Snodgrass to put more pressure up the middle of the pitch and also support Zabaleta on the right side as Ben Chilwell and Demari Gray directed the offense down that wing.

The Equalizer

Wilfred Ndidi, who was able to pick up play terrifically after rolling about following Noble’s challenge like his leg fell off, took a lazy shot that got a lucky deflection off of Okazaki/Balbuena and passed Fabianski.

Not much to say about this as it was just luck. Leicester’s stadium erupted after the deflected shot went in against a ten-man West Ham team in the 89th minute like they won the Premier League again. Good on the away supporters for drowning out their consolation prize with the “we’ve only got ten men” chant.

The Stars

We’ll end on a happy note here with a few words about West Ham’s best players:

Fabian Balbuena – The General finally got to salute as he scored his first West Ham goal. Amazingly enough, he would have been man-of-the-match regardless of that goal as he led West Ham’s defense to an amazing performance all match long.

Lukasz Fabianski – I can type this from pure muscle memory now, but he is one of the best keepers in the Premier League and proved it yet again with unbelievable saves, terrific clearances, and necessary claims.

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Michail Antonio – His best performance in some time for West Ham. He still lacks the finishing of an elite player but he was a difference maker in the second half of this match.

The entire back four/five – The defensive core caught Leicester offside seven times in this match, which would have been about 20 times if Iheanacho wasn’t subbed off. They stepped up literally and figuratively in this match, earning the point.