Bore fest turns into a Hammers humdinger
An hour into the match against Forest at the London Stadium, there was scant evidence that we were in for a humdinger. David Moyes’ team appeared lethargic and devoid of creative ideas, leading me to believe that the midweek shenanigans against Olympiacos had taken their toll.
The opening goal by Lucas Paqueta, ironically, did little to help the Hammers. Over the next fifty-five minutes, the team seemed content to cling to their 1-0 lead. Players consistently failed to show for passes, and the ball was moved backward far too frequently.
Whilst there were a few exceptions, the overall West Ham performance had been a lethargic load of old pants. Tomas Soucek emerged as the hero of the day, but his contribution was a contrasting one. He had been abysmal until he scored. Whilst it may be unfair to single him out, the transformation from ineffectiveness to a game-changing impact was ridiculous and sublime at the same time.
By the time Soucek scored, the entire team seemed to have found their rhythm, and with the score levelled at 2-2, it appeared there could only be one winner (well that’s what I thought anyway). Credit is due to David Moyes for his substitution. Faced with the decision of removing Alvarez or Soucek from the field, he opted for the former . . . good call as it turned out.
For an hour, the game was a tough watch, making the transformation into a thriller a pleasant surprise. The one set to gain the most from this turnaround is David Moyes. Back-to-back victories, first in the Europa League against Olympiacos and now against Forest, have provided him with much-needed breathing space.
Whether the lack of energy was a consequence of the midweek game against Olympiacos remains uncertain. Regardless of the reasons, this game has left Moyes with as many questions as answers.
It’s embarrassing the remarks from West Ham chat. There are certain players where their display will always be criticised Soucek can score break up moves and their thoughts are always on the negative, in the 1960s we had a midfield Player Ronnie Boyce (ticker) not the superstar but his work rate was appreciated if social media was around then he would most certainly be the West Ham chat fall guy, he done the donkey work, yet the supporters then knew his value, as did Moore Hurst and Peters