West Ham pull off nervy win at Southampton

The Hammers traveled south to Southampton and desperately needed three points for Premier League survival and the survival of their manager. With a nervy ending, they managed just that, sealing the win and the immediate future of Manuel Pellegrini.

Team selection broke an hour before the match and a late injury concern forced Felipe Anderson from the squad. Besides the Brazilian string-puller missing, West Ham was featuring Michail Antonio and Sebastien Haller as a striker duo for the first time this season in the starting line up. No time like the present to embrace needed change when your managerial career hangs in the balance, eh Pellegrini?

Regardless of the manager finally abandoning his stubbornness and broken formation, this was a net positive change and inspired the Hammers to a lively start and first half in general. The game plan was clearly to get the ball out wide and invite crosses from Aaron Cresswell and Robert Snodgrass and in the 37th minute it paid off with Sebastien Haller’s goal.

A terrific pick out from Ryan Fredericks spotted Antonio who ran the ball to the goal line before narrowly keeping it in and passing to Snodgrass. The first time cross found Pablo Fornals at the back post who calmly nodded it down to Haller who bounced it in off the far post. It was a terrifically well-worked team goal that utilized all attacking players for the Hammers.

The half would end with the Hammers in front. Southampton had a few chances but Manuel Pellegrini’s men, led by Michail Antonio’s work rate, were deservedly ahead. It should be mentioned that referee Martin Atkinson was a danger to the players today on the pitch with constant missing of fouls and his (and VAR’s) miss on a double penalty shout on Antonio/Haller.

Anyways, the second half kicked off with the Hammers pressing. Danny Ings and Moussa Djenepo, as predicted pregame, were the strongest instigators of any Saints’ offense and grew into the game as it progressed. Ings had two chances that hit the crossbar and the post while Djenepo was a menace once switched to left-wing.

Pellegrini’s subs were… interesting to say the least in this match. Even with Anderson’s injury, Nathan Holland wasn’t on the bench and forced Andriy Yarmolenko to come into the match for Snodgrass in the 73rd minute. Six minutes later Sebastien Haller was removed for Carlos Sanchez, and nine minutes after, Mark Noble was brought off for Issa Diop.

Yarmolenko missed a great opportunity after curling it over the bar, but he’s not the player to bring on when you’re looking to shore up the defense and see out a win. Sanchez also was curious as he isn’t Premier League quality and actively hurt the Hammers on multiple occasions in this match. Lastly, Diop brought on as a center-back instead of a central midfielder was woeful. He hasn’t played in weeks and couldn’t keep the high line that got picked apart in the final 15 minutes.

Overall, the points went the Hammers way but it wasn’t convincing. The fitness of the team looks questionable as legs start to go after 60 minutes and substitutions negatively impacted the game. You can probably see where this is going, as Pellegrini yet again makes the simplest parts of the game more difficult than they should be. You can’t be too negative though as the win is West Ham’s and the three points are banked.