Disappointing West Ham Result at Stamford Bridge; Player Grades

The Hammers played better than the scoreline suggested, but spotty refereeing saw West Ham lose out on any points away at Stamford Bridge.

It was an odd match to watch as a dominating Chelsea capitalized within ten minutes but were brushed back for the majority of the remaining match by a resilient West Ham team. Better chances came the Hammers way, but poor refereeing and lack of VAR use cost goals and potentially points for David Moyes’ team. Here are the reflected player ratings.

Lukasz Fabianski – 7/10: This is more of a spot-holder rating as Fabianski couldn’t do much more than he did in this match. He had no chance on Thiago Silva’s header, and Tammy Abraham’s two goals were caused by awful defending. He made a wondrous save on Timo Werner, too, which sees the rating rise.

Vladimir Coufal – 6/10: There was a bit too much space down the right flank in this match, where Werner used his pace to create, as well as Mason Mount and even Christian Pulisic at times. The speed of Chelsea gave Coufal some problems, but he was solid.

More from Green Street Hammers - West Ham

Angelo Ogbonna – 6/10: This may be his lowest rating of the season, and he didn’t play bad at all. On a few instances he made poor decisions to step up where he shouldn’t have, but his interceptions and clearances killed a few threatening advances from the Blues.

Aaron Cresswell – 3/10: If not for some fine set-piece deliveries Cresswell may be on a zero in this match. At left-back he simply cannot be trusted to perform well, as he stays too central to be a centre-back, and doesn’t mark a man inside like a fullback. It was the worst of both worlds in this match, and he was ball watching twice in two minutes, leading to two goals against.

Declan Rice – 8/10: A millimetre decision to overturn his imaginative run on an early free-kick that he converted was too hastily done, as reviews now show him on side. Regardless of the poor level of Premier League officiating, Rice was spectacular in the midfield again, completely running Ngolo Kante off the pitch at times.

Tomas Soucek – 6/10: In the midfield and in the air Soucek will always be solid, but without a presence in the opposition box, it’s easy to overlook him in a game. This match was no exception as his holding position play was solid but he failed to grasp headlines or threaten.

Mark Noble – 5/10: No one really thought he should have been starting this match, but he came in to make the midfield harder to breakdown, and to his credit did do that. He also pressed the Chelsea defenders on the ball which was good to see. He didn’t need to be out there in the second half and Moyes seemingly forgot to make the offensive sub needed.

Jarrod Bowen – 8/10: I’ve been writing for weeks that Bowen and forwards like him have to be graded on their offensive output and he get the grade he deserves here for his efforts and for his goal that was wrongfully overturned. Referee Chris Cavanaugh blew his whistle the instant Silva fell over, killing Bowen’s goal that was on its way into the net for literally no reason. Having clipped his own heels at best, Silva dove in his own box and Bowen was penalized. Embarrassing showing.

Sebastien Haller – 5/10: He came close on a few occasions in this match, but lack of possession, inaccurate crossing, and no support when possession was gained hamstrung the Hammers striker in a system that very much didn’t suit him. Support him and he’ll score, simple as that.

Pablo Fornals – 4/10: One good chance and a terrific block from Kurt Zouma closed the case on Fornals’ game in this match. He may have ‘ran hard’ but he was invisible on the pitch tonight in a game where his hustle was needed more than ever. Left-midfield isn’t his position, sure, but he needs a spell on the bench.

Next. Five Thoughts: West Ham Lose London Derby to Chelsea. dark

The substitutes used in this match were all underwhelming and left too late. Said Benrahma was brought on for Fornals in the 67th minute when he should have been starting, and Ryan Fredericks replaced Bowen in the 90th minute to keep it to just three goals against. No Moyes masterclass here.