West Ham spoil lead in what should be Pellegrini’s last game
By Adam Smith
West Ham showed their true colors after a strong first half, collapsing in and allowing a toothless Arsenal to take all three points at the London Stadium. What a depressing, disheartening loss after such a promising start.
The beginning of the match played out almost exactly how everyone expected. Arsenal would try to play it out from the back, West Ham would pressure, Arsenal would hold the ball, West Ham would then try to capitalize on counter-attacks. Hats off the Hammers in the first half as their jump pushed the Gunners back to their keeper and forced many errors leading to chances early.
As the first half drew to a close, the Hammers had earned a corner and a good Robert Snodgrass delivery slashed pass the masses, dropped to Declan Rice who laid it off for Pablo Fornals, who then put a lovely ball back into the box. Angelo Ogbonna came back into the fray from a retreating position and bashed it home off the defender in the 38th minute. The goal was coming and the Hammers were in the driver’s seat.
The second half started with more of the same. The Hammers pushed forward and despite tired legs, got on the attack often. Their final product was missing, however, as has been the case of much of this season. This would prove crucial in the final 30 minutes.
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Aaron Cresswell dove in on Nicolas Pepe after pulling his hamstring to stop the attack. Smart tactically, and seemingly the right thing to do as Arthur Masuaku was on the bench. With Cresswell off in the 51st minute, Masuaku would go on to have one of the worst individual performances from a West Ham player this season (he can thank Roberto for that).
Three goals, three counter-attacks, two of which spurred on down the rightwing, it was a rough 40 minutes for the fullback. Masuaku got turned inside out horribly on the Pepe goal where he backed the defender down and cut left, curling the ball into the top of the net past a helpless David Martin. Going forward, his strong suit, somehow looked worse than his defending with passes being sent to no one and possession being given away when the Hammers needed to strike back.
Goals in the 60th, 66th, and 69th minutes from Gabriel Martinelli, Nicolas Pepe, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would seal the Arsenal win. Heads dropped after the first goal, however, the conditioning of the players also comes into questions as the forwards could barely run in the second half.
The use of Antonio, who not only started but played a full 90 minutes, was atrocious and telling of a manager clinging to life. He was hobbling to end the game and shouldn’t have had the enormous shift he did after he was a late fitness test away from even playing.
If Pellegrini isn’t sacked in the morning the supporters will turn on the owners more than they already have, and quickly. Up to this point, the board appointed a manager who is Premier League proven and one who was expensive as well. They need to suck it up, cut their losses, and look for the next-best manager, not the has-been one.
dark. Next. Who could be next in line for the West Ham manager job?
The worst part about this loss is the lack of emotion it has brought on. I was expecting to lose, the team sheet confirmed my suspicions of a lack of managerial creativity, the early goal got my hopes up, and the eventual collapse sent me back to earth. We need our West Ham back, and Pellegrini can’t do that.