Back to the Future Part 1

West Ham United 4 Bournemouth 0 1st January 2020

I hope everyone is safe and well and Happy New Year to you all.

This is the time of year when we tend to look back as a way of looking forward. Reviewing the year that’s passed and make plans for the New Year. Resolutions set with the best of intentions that often get forgotten once we are immersed in our routines after the holiday season.

Given the struggles of the team on the pitch over the passed year it seems fitting to look back at some of the best moments from the last couple of years under Moyes stewardship.

Who knows what the owners are planning or how long Moyes has left to prove himself as the right person to turn our fortunes around. Are they going to do ‘Get help” that worked so well for Thor and Loki, and replace Moyes now, or do they still believe he is our saviour. 

It’s clear the difficulties we have on the pitch are part of a big problem at the club and however we may wish to turn back time and change things, if you’re fans of Marvel like us Marshes are (hope you’ve caught the references) you’ll know the difficulties of going back in time to change the future. Be careful what you wish for. 

Mixing genres, ‘This is heavy!’ as Marty regularly observes in the Back To The Future series and it’s certainty a very heavy time in West Ham Utd’s history that could have an impact on the club for a generation to come. Relegation is surely not an option but it is now a very real possibility given the form of the team over the last year. Unless something changes and very soon we will find ourselves dragged into the bottom three and worrying about the drop.

Well, jumping into our Delorean Time Machine, or taking a few turns of the wrist with our Time Stone, let’s pop back and remember some more memorable moments at the London Stadium. 

Our first game under Moyes for his second return to the club saw a dominant Hammers put four past a struggling Bournemouth at the London Stadium. It could not have been a better script for Moyes with captain Noble scoring 2 – including a penalty and both Sebastian Haller and Felipe Anderson helping to end a run of four consecutive defeats which lifted the Hammers out of the relegation zone.

“I don’t think I could have had a better start but the players have to take all the credit,” Moyes said. “Their attitude and commitment got the supporters behind us and that was key for us today.”

The images here are of Anderson’s goal, which rounded off a fine individual performance, from an excellent cross field pass from Declan Rice. But as you may remember, Cresswell was shown the red card after a dangerous tackle on Ryan Fraser. But that didn’t stop the crowd cheering “oles” as the Hammers jogged to a well needed home victory.

Enjoy a step back into the past.

Take care everyone

Dawud

West Ham Utd 2 Blackburn Rovers 2 (Blackburn win 10-9 on Penalties EFL Cup Third Round 9th November 2022

Hammers crash out of EFL Cup to Championship side Blackburn Rovers on penalties

Hope everyone is safe and well.

It takes quite a while to put these posts together as I look through the 900 plus images I take for each home match. Once I’ve done my first round of editing – deciding which images could help tell the story of the match – I have about 200 images to finally choose from. Then it’s about thinking what I want to show from the match and how best to illustrate any key points. This decision process takes time. The actual editing doesn’t take that much more as I’m familiar with Lightroom so my work load is not so bad.

Making decisions over time is a luxury really, but what we seem to have in the team at the moment  is too many situations where players are making the wrong decisions in real time. The action of the match can be fast paced at times with little room for error and even a split second delay can lead to the wrong decision and a wayward pass, forward move or cross that leads to a dead end. 

There have been too many instances where we have been in good positions to send in a telling cross, fire in a ball or make a forward pass that will put us into a goal scoring opportunity but us ‘experts’ jfrom the stands just see these opportunities fizzle out. So frustrating to watch every home game and our exit from the EFL Cup showed us again what these wrong decisions are costing us.

This result hurt for sure. After the last gasp defeat to the Eagles the previous weekend, we had hoped for a positive reaction and a chance to progress in EFL Cup, which we have never won.

Both managers decided to change their whole starting 11 for this match, Blackburn sitting second in the Championship after their 1-0 home win against Huddersfield and the Hammers dropping to 15th in Premier League – two teams with opposite forms clashing for a place in the Forth Round of the EFL Cup. 

The Hammers had enjoyed some solid home form prior to the weekend defeat to Crystal Palace, surely even with a changed side we could progress against Blackburn’s second 11?

Last season we held Man City, holders of the Cup over previous seasons, to a 0-0 draw at home, winning 5-3 on penalties to progress to Quarter Finals after defeating Man Utd in the Third Round, but this was not going to be repeated this season.

After progressing out of the group stages of the Europa Conference League there was expectation that we can do well and enjoy another cup under the lights. But 6 mins into the game Vale calmly scores to give voice to Blackburn’s fans, surely hoping for an upset.

We had to wait until 38th minute for Fornals to thump home an equaliser sending the Hammers players into the dressing room with hope of a comeback. The second half provided plenty of opportunities for the home side to take the lead, with Antonio, Benrahma – on for Coventry and Bowen waist of chances as we failed to breach the Blackburn defence. 

Then Antonio, firing from the edge of the box to send the ball into the net and give us a 2-1 lead. The London Stadium, with anxious fans without much to cheer about so far, roars with hope of a turnaround that would take us into the next round. 

Even with Scamacca on, the Hammers couldn’t find another goal that would surely end the match for Blackburn who were definitely not down and out yet. Bubbles again faded away as Chilean international Brereton Diaz sends a blasted shot past Areola on 88th min to earn penalties as the final whistle ended the match. 

I don’t know about you, but I had a bad feeling about this and wished we had Fabianski in goal – it was something fans around us were saying as the players lined up in the centre circle before the penalty shoot out started. And what a watch for the neutral. Penalty after penalty sending the back of the net rippling as neither goalkeeper could make a save. The longer it went on, the less likely I thought we would win it. 

With the score at 10-9 to Blackburn up steps Ogbonna with only the goalkeepers left to have a go and as soon as the ball left his foot hearts just stopped. Then, as if time had slowed and sped right up again, the ball strikes the bar goes up in the air and the Blackburn players and staff sprint onto the pitch in celebration. 

Those of us who remained to watch just slumped in despair, many turning on their heels to leave the stadium. I spoke to a few fans as we watched the Blackburn fans celebrate with their team and there was a lot of anger and mixed emotions. Many people I spoke to felt we now need to do well against Leicester or our season is looking likely to implode. 

Overreaction due to the emotions of going through such a frustrating game or hints of reality finally kicking in given the mixed form since the start of the season? Plenty of people have picked over this game and others to highlight issues we have as a team, but looking at this performance the lack of composure to put those many chances we had away is going to be our undoing. 

And we missed the chance to get our own back on Forest in the next round. Oh well. 

Hope you enjoy the photos of the match, despite the result.

Take care

Dawud 

West Ham Utd 1 Crystal Palace 2 6th November 2022

Olise sinks Hammers in a last gasp winner at London Stadium to end winning run

I hope everyone is safe and well.

Time. It’s either on your side or totally against you, you either have too much time or nowhere near enough. I seem to be suffering from the later at the moment with so much going on. We have some urgent work deadlines and I’ve had to make time to keep time otherwise I’m behind time! Phew! It seems I’m always chasing my tail as time slips away. It could be age or just not utilising my time effectively.

It seems to take quite some time to put these images together so I end up taking more time to post after the matches and with so many home matches recently it’s hard to keep on top – time, it seems is not on my side right now.

So to the last gasp winner by Olise that sank us at home against Crystal Palace, it seems we cannot run out the time of a game to get something out of the match. Antonio could have wasted time by taking the ball wide, trying to keep the ball by the corner flag or turn in and swing in a cross. Instead he chose to pass it to the keeper. In no time at all, Palace we’re on the attack and just before the ref called time Olise shoots and with Cresswell’s deflection bags the winner.

Time had run out on the team and the week ahead seemed to be affected by this poor result. When Morley said he fancied a 3-0 win for the Hammers in his pre match interview, some of us fans said we would be lucky to get a draw. Palace are playing some tidy attacking football and we are looking soft at the back on the counter.

Time – would it have been a different result if we have managed to have more time on the ball during the match? Retaining possession and frustrating Palace? A bit of time wasting at the end to see out the match for a draw? If only Antonio have given himself more time, maybe we could have earned a draw. No, time it seemed had gone too quickly as Palace made the most of the Hammers flat feet and took all three points right from under us after Benrahma put us ahead in the first half. He has benefitted from extended first team playing time.

But we know these results so well, Palace haven’t won away this season – cue an away win at London Stadium against a side on a winning streak at home. But you wouldn’t have thought it from the way we played, Benrahma put us in front on his 100th appearance for West Ham, but it was against the run of play. And without creating any clear chances to challenge Eagles keeper Vicente Guaiti except for Kehrer’s effort in the second half.

But we must raise the VAR issue again as Referee Paul Tierney points to the spot after Antonio goes down in the box after being brought down by Guaiti’s wayward arm. Set pieces and penalties were our speciality last season, so this could be our chance to get back in front. Cue VAR and Ref Tierney changes his decision. The more time he is looking at the screen you know it’s not going our way. Time – its either on your side or against you.

And we know what the outcome of these VAR decisions will be, time after time it seems we fall to a decision going against us despite the ref having initially awarded in our favour. We have discussed this before but it’s making quite an impact on the game and potentially the outcome of the match. Over time these decisions equal themselves out, we are told, but I’m not convinced and would love to see the stats on that.

After only 3 days after our Europa Conference League win against FCSB to secure our place in the next round, but with 11 changes to the team playing ahi’s t the Eagles, you cannot argue that there was not enough time between the matches. The first team to secure 100% record in the group stages and we looked disjointed and drained of confidence. My brother says ‘Look at the teams we played in the ECL though’ I argue winning builds confidence, whoever you play. Time, it seems, tells its own story as we hit a bump in the road and get beat in the last seconds of a match we could have won.

I hope you enjoy the photos from the match, despite the result and I’ll post the other two matches during the week.

Take care everyone

Dawud 

West Ham Utd 2 AFC Bournemouth 0 Monday 24th October 2022

Hammers climb to 10th in the table with 5th home win in all competitions

I hope this post finds everyone safe and well.

Summer feels like a distant memory despite the warm weather, as the nights close in early and the games have been coming thick and fast for the Hammers. It’s a bit like the half term holiday, before you blink you’re back to work and you feel like you have even had a rest. Particularly true for me given the amount of half jobs the builder left for us to do. Luckily I’m a bit handy with home DIY and have been filling, sanding and painting away through any spare time I’ve had. Back to work for a rest!

But no rest for the team after weekly Thursday games in the Europa Conference League and then players tying their laces again on the weekend, but this is what it’s like if we want to maintain our European tour. Now we have Monday’s match under our belts, then Thursday against Silkeborg and Man Utd on Sunday. A tough week with more to come in November. No wonder managers are complaining about the fixture list.

Do we have enough depth in the squad to cope with such a run on fixtures? So far so good with our European form starting to spread into the Premier League and a healthy mid table placing. Will this form carrying on so we can rise further up the League? Man Utd will certain be a litmus test on how well we are doing as a squad.

To the match and Bournemouth did not really provide a real test for the team. The worry though is the lack of goals from open play and it was Benni who bagged another goal through a penalty shout after a VAR review of a potential hand ball. Decisions, it seems, are going our way and provide evidence that overall across the season we get an even shout of calls for and against us. Someone must have the stats on that.

There was also some controversy about Kurt Zouma’s headed goal just before half time with the Cherries complaining that the ball touched Thilo Kehrer in the build up. Former Hammer, Gary O’Neil received a booking for challenging referee David Coote as the teams went off at half time. We know how it feels but after a review it was decided that Lehrer’s touch as accidental.

A good time to go 1-0 and it was a reflection of the match, with the Hammers dominating and the Cherries not really creating much to challenge Fabianski, although Solanke had his chance, but twisted his ankle and was substituted at half time.

Our dominance was rewarded, and so was Benrahma for his industry throughout the match, with a penalty that Beni put away to secure a 2-0 win and a much needed boost for the team going in to Thursdays match against Silkeborg to secure top spot in Group B.

Such a different feel around the club with more depth in the squad now we have our new signings featuring regularly and options on the bench to add attacking threat or defensive back up when we need to secure the result. We are definitely blowing those pretty bubbles in the air, let’s hope they keep flying high.

Enjoy the photos for the match

Take care

Dawud

West Ham United 2 Anderlecht 1 Europa Conference League Group B Thursday 13th October 2022

Hammers win against Anderlecht sends us through to knockout stages of Europa Conference League  

Hope everyone is safe and well.

A quick Marsh family update – we’ve been totally floored by the current flu bug doing the rounds – so I missed our home win against Fulham and added to that couldn’t get any commentary on the match until late in the game as I looked after Mrs Marsh and our boys. Then I got the aches and pains myself and as we both work with vulnerable people in our day jobs, a few COVID test kits later confirmed it was just the seasonal bug. Uuurgh! 

But I managed to pick myself up for our Europa Conference League home win against Anderlecht to continue our 100% record in this seasons group stage to all but guarantee we go through to the knockout stages as our European tour continues.

I felt we should have had this match comfortably under our belt by half time allowing for some careful substitutions as we closed the game out but that’s not the West Ham way and our injury concerns continue in defence with the loss of Angelo Ogbonna after only 22minutes and then his replacement Craig Dawson being substituted 15mins from the end of the match. With Nayef Aguerd still a little way off returning to the first team squad, our defensive woes continue.

We top group B on maximum points after a dominant first have that saw Said Benrahma’s well taken free kick settle the nerves on 14th minute. Benrahma is capable of flashes of excellence only to be balanced by moments of shear frustration that often sees good play wasted in a dead end or missed placed pass. But, he had the free kick perfectly struck as it had enough pace to beat the Anderlecht wall and go beyond Hendrik van Crombrugge into the net.

Our second came from Bowen on 30 minutes, his third European goal this season and 6th overall in Europe equaling the records of Johnny Byrne and David Cross and put the game beyond Anderlecht, who despite some well managed build up play, did not offer much af a threat going forward.

The second half played out against unpleasant scenes in the away end with Anderlecht fans setting off flares – which they did at the start of the match, throwing them along with seats over to the Hammers fans, who responded near the closes stages of the match. At times the pitch was covered in smoke from the flares and and you can only imagine the damage done to the away end of the stadium. How fans manage to get these into the ground is beyond me. I spoke to some of the police outside the ground after the match as I waited for the Anderlecht fans to be escorted away from the ground and they expressed their frustration that stewards don’t check bags thoroughly enough. 

Nothing in the news about those scenes but you can expect some consequences surely for such behaviour, especially with a spectator running onto the pitch. 

That is now 6 wins in 7 games in all competitions. We just now need to keep up this excellent form until the break for the World Cup that will see us in a healthy position in the Premier League and having reached the knockout stages of the Europa League. Who would have thought that at the start of the season?

Enjoy the photos from the game.

Take care

Dawud

West Ham United 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Saturday 1st October 2022

Scamacca scores his first Premier League goal as Hammers comfortably beat fellow strugglers Wolves

I hope everyone is safe and well.

We are at that stage of unpacking in our new place where I’ve now found my tools and started some DIY. Just making our place a home with those little touches that make a huge difference – picture frames up, walls painted and furniture unpacked and put together. We are beginning to feel like we can now relax and a good result at the weekend certainly added to the overwhelming good mood in the Marsh family.

It was difficult to predict this one, both teams struggling for form but we have done very well in Europe and with the international break, a chance for players to get back from injury so the stage was set for a good performance, and we we not disappointed.

It seems that Bruno Lage’s future as Wolves manager is in doubt, especially given his sides disappointing display at the London Stadium that leaves them in the bottom three. With only 3 goals from 8 games you can see where their problems lay with Hwang Hee-chan, Raul Jimenez and long-term absentee Sasa Kalajdzic missing Wolves had very little bite in attack.

Even the introduction of Diego Costa, playing his first competitive match since December 2021, on the hour for the ineffective Gonçalo Guedes, could not lift his team to mount anything meaningful and leaving the stage clear for Scamacca and Bowen to score a goal each and secure a well needed home win for the Hammers. Scamacca, our £30.5m arrival from Sassuolo scored a screamer of a half volley to take us above Wolves in the lowest goals tally of the season so far. The crowd and the team quite rightly celebrated and it looked as if our Premier League season was finally getting under way.

The question was, could we keep a clean sheet, our first since February when we beat Wolves 1-0, and secure 3 vital points to lift us out of the relegation zone? The answer was yes, thanks to a returning Craig Dawson alongside Kurt Zouma and Thilo Kehrer, adding some impressive steel and composure in defence. But then Wolves didn’t have much to offer and once Bowen had scored just before the hour mark, it was pretty much game over. 

The introduction of Antonio, replacing the inspirational Scamacca on 66mins, provided more pressure on the Wolves defence in the closing stages to see out a deserved home win that hopefully sets us up for Thursdays match against Anderlecht in the Europa Conference League. Can we keep up our good form in the competition as well as manage to negotiate a kick start to our premier League Campaign? This is where Moyes will earn his pay and justify money spent in the summer to give us greater depth, especially when everyone is fit.

Enjoy the photos from the match

Take care 

Dawud

West Ham Utd 3 FCSB 1 Europa Conference League 8th September 2022

The Hammers brush off Premier League form with a win in Europa Conference League.

Well, what a first home game for me and not for the faint hearted given the first half performance, but such a come back in the second half to secure 3 vital points in this season’s Europa Conference League campaign.

I hope this post finds everyone safe and well and a few personal updates. After the trauma of living in a hotel for 6 months, then in temporary accommodation and after a lot of battling with the housing association, we are finally moved into a permanent home. The relief is unbelievable and we can now deal with what happened to our family and start rebuilding our lives back to some normality. Thanks everyone for your support and kind words on here and privately, feeling the Hammers family love for sure.

The last few weeks have been full on for me personally and my family and last Thursdays Europa League win was the first home match I’ve managed to attend this season. Some normality has returned for me and it was wonderful to be back, hear the crowd and feel the atmosphere, although somewhat muted due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. No fireworks before the match, no music, no announcements, and a rendition of God Save The Queen by the home crowd. It was nice to see the photo of the Queen handing Sir Bobby Moore the World Cup at Wembley Stadium in 1966 during the half time break.

Our season ticket seats have moved due to work done on the stand to increase capacity, but glad to see not too far from where we were last season – still near the corner flag. Relief as I am not one to handle change very well. Managed to find a few familiar faces, those who sat around me since moving to the London Stadium, and good to meet new people. It was all set up for a Hammers victory.

Until the match started, as we were a bit off the pace and FCSB had some pace in the early exchanges of the match. Scamacca was still clearly not running on all cylinders after recovering from a virus and needed to be subbed after the first half. We dominated possession but looked exposed on their counter, and so it was no surprise to go 0-1 down on 34th minute from Andrei Cordea in space at the far post.

Cue celebrations from a handful of Rumanian fans just a few rows in front of me and what seemed like ages before the stewards came to move them. This was an issue in the first season we moved to London Stadium with away fans sitting in main areas of the stands. Fortunately nothing came of it, but this kind of thing can ignite strong feelings, especially given how we were playing at the time, and it could have kicked off. Videos have been shared on social media of away fans occupying seats in the home sections of the stand. It’s something that needs to be looked at for sure.

Half time whistle came with boos and the discussion was around the new players and when they will be given the chance to have a run in the team. Second half and Antonio sprints on, with Parqueta replacing the struggling Scamacca and Benrahma and we had pace and attacking play that felt like we could take this match, and we did. 

An excellent Bowen penalty after Cornet was fouled, no VAR to chalk that one off, and a wonderful goal from Emerson to put us in control. The crowd sensed there were more goals in this game and it came from the excellent Antonio on 90th minute to send the crowd roaring and singing. Antonio entertains as much as he frustrates but his impact along with Bowen and later Parqueta was the difference.

Dawson was given much respect from the home fans as he warmed up on the touch line, and was given extra time to finish off the game replacing Ogbonna. News came through about the possibility of cancelled matches for the coming weekend but the sense of relief was felt throughout the crowd with a home win to give us hope of another amazing European campaign and exciting nights under the lights.

It took a while for the home crowd to get behind the team and Bowen’s penalty certainly settled the nerves, but I went home – to my new permanent home – feeling like finally our season may be off the mark. We may now have another week for recovery and Moyes will have pretty much a full squad to select from.

Enjoy the photos from the match and take care everyone.

Dawud 

West Ham United 2 Manchester City 2 15th May 2022

Hammers Say Farewell To West Ham Legend Mark Noble

Hope this post finds everyone safe and well.

Its been a busy week or so for me so I haven’t had a chance to get this post together sooner. One of my sons is doing very well with his cricket, he is only 11 but has already been scouted for a team on his bowling alone – he is a left hander like me. I’m the first to admit I don’t know much about cricket, but we have been told he is very talented bowler and a very good batsman. I’ve been busy taking him to training and matches and me and the boys do karate and have been in a completion recently. Our youngest was at the 02 singing in Young Voices which is an amazing event for children from across London. The boys are at the age where they have a busier social life than me and my wife, so I spend most of my time dropping and collecting and driving and watching and supporting whatever they are doing. Exhausting but well worth every minute.

This was probably the hardest post to do not just because it was the last home game of the season, and that me and my boys and brother have to move to make way for more expensive seating, but it was the final home game of Hammers legend Mark Noble.

There were so many emotions before the match as I have watched Noble play for the Hammers ever since I first got my season ticket at Boleyn ground and have gone through so many ups and downs mixed with joys and despair in almost equal measure following the team.

It’s not easy being a Hammer, but I wonder how it has been for Mr West Ham himself throughout his playing career and all the changes and battles and celebrations commiserations he has been through with various players and managers.

The mould was broken after they made Noble as you will not get a player who will be as dedicated to a team as Mark has been to West Ham, a boyhood fan who grew up in Canning Town supporting the Hammers and living many youngster’s dream of playing for the club you watched as a child from the stands. It has been wonderful seeing so many young fans as well at the stadium and who knows which one those may grow up to play for the club and who have had Noble as their inspiration.

The respect and high regard Noble has not just amongst his fellow team mates, but the staff and players and managers who have had the pleasure of playing and working alongside Noble was clear to see in the build up to the game and the excellent video tribute shown before and after the match.

The other emotions were of the game itself, and I’m not the first to admit I was worried how we would do against a rampant City side who had everything to play for in the final games of the season. It has been great to see so many important league places decided on the final day and City proving they’re worth with a comeback victory against Palace to seal Premier League title again.

Even as we went 2-0 with excellent goals from Bowen, myself and those around me knew City had it in them to get back into the game. And so they did, but it wasn’t until Mahrez penalty was saved by Fabianski that we felt an upset could be on the cards. Another excellent performance and proof again that we can make an atmosphere at the London Stadium as the crowd cheered on the team and hoped that even Noble could sign off with one last goal infant of an emotional home crowd as he came on in the final stages of the game.

As often as there are special moments of pure joy and magic, there are those times when things just don’t happen and despite that, it was a respectable result against the champions to be and a great send off to one of our own who will be greatly missed as he closes the door on his playing career.

There is time to reflect on what could have been this season, but there is also time to reflect on what Noble brought to the team and the club and whether he will be a presence for years to come, an example to younger players coming into the game and someone who brought so many memorable moments to those of us who have been part of his journey as a player.

Thank you Mark Noble for your services to the team, to us as fans and the club and we all wish you the very best for what you choose to do next. We all look forward to seeing you again at the club.

There were so many images that I wanted to include in this post, but I had to do some editing down otherwise you’d all be scrolling down forever! I hope you enjoy the photos from the match and I hope you have all enjoyed my photo diary posts this season. I have been truly blessed to have had some much positive feedback and support from you during what has been a trying year, I just hope my photos have been able to capture the season for those of you who may not get to the games, and also as a memory for those who do. Please take care everyone. 

Dawud

PS The two guys at the start of the photos are Man City fans who were giving respect to Noble and West Ham and when asked for their score prediction, they thought it would be 3-2 to City! They said it was going to be a hard game for them. Nice guys, very friendly and happy to chat away.

West Ham United 1 Frankfurt 2 Europa League Semi Final 1st Leg 28th April 2022

Hammers Conceded Early in Disappointing 1st Leg Defeat at London Stadium

Hope everyone is safe and well.

I have been busy with the end of Ramadan and Eid celebrations, as well as supporting other residents from our previous block of flats who are having real issues with their longer term temporary accommodation. It’s still hard to understand how a charity housing association can treat vulnerable people and their family members with such contempt. We are grateful that we have a place to stay where nothing needs doing whereas other residents are battling with the housing association just to get the hot water sorted and electricity working! So apologies for the delay in this post – and therefore the Arsenal post. Life seems to be so busy right now, just like the fixture list at the tail end of the season.

Sadly, this post comes on the back of our exit from Europa League at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt in two disappointing performances given how the team have played throughout this competition.

But, we have lost to a team that has won away at Real Betis and Barcelona already in the knockout stages of the Europa League and it’s not as if we have been outplayed. But the disappointment hurts as the bubbles fly high and fade and die on another mixed season for us.

Frankfurt had the perfect start by taking the lead within the opening minute when the young Ansgar Knauff broke into the area to provide a sucker punch that the Hammers struggled to shake off. Indeed, Knauff was a constant threat and could have doubled Frankfurts lead, being in form from previous rounds by scoring in away games against Real Betis and Barcelona.

The pre-match rendition of ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’ and noise from the crowd could not lift the home side despite the fans continuing to sing their support throughout the match. The London Stadium has found its voice in this competition and it sends the hairs on the back of your neck tingling as the crowd stood throughout the match to cheer, chant and sing West Ham on, urging the team to find a goal.

And it came as Antonio headed in from Kurt Zouma’s noon down to raise the roof and blow fresh bubbles of hope around the stadium of an historic win to set up for the second leg in Germany. But it was not to be despite patient build up from the home side with little reward, against the quicker and more threading attack of the visitors. 

The Hammers defensive woes seemed to be swept aside as Zouma returned to the side after his ankle injury, but he seemed to be the weakest link and Cresswell struggled after the early goal and his lack of defensive attack was noticeable in Frankfurts second gaol. 

Kamada found the net from Alphonse Areola’s save that fell kindly for him and he could have put the tie to bed if he had scored from a later curling shot that flicked off Dawson. That would have left the Hammers with a lot to do at Waldstadion for the second leg where Frankfurt have not won in five, but not lost either. You could see why the visitors have not lost away in this competition and their attacking threat remained.

Bowen had the best chance of rescuing a draw in stoppage time with an overhead kick from Delan Rice’s cross that bounced agonisingly down from the crossbar. But it proved to be a crucial opportunity missed as the Hammers prepared for the second leg, and ultimately their last stop on a journey that has given us some wonderful nights under the lights.

We can now focus on securing a place in Europe next year by our league position, dependent on results of those teams around us in the Premier League.

Hope you enjoy the photos, despite the result.

Take care everyone

Dawud

West Ham United 1 Burnley 1 17th April 2022

Hammers extend unbeaten run in home draw to Burnley

I pray everyone is safe and well.

The party atmosphere continued from Thursdays incredible away win at Lyon to secure a historic Europa League semi final with Frankfurt and with the summer sun beating down on the London Stadium fans were hoping for more of the same against managerless Burnley, who are struggling for Premier League survival.

This was a must win game for the Hammers if they want to keep in touch with the pack for a place in Europe next season, but then how many times have these games not gone our way? And no one would have predicted this match before hand, over shadowed as it was by the serious injury to Ashley Westwood that clearly shook the players of both teams. 

Nikolas Vlasic challenge had nothing menacing about it, but once down it was clear that Westwood was in trouble and Vlasic himself was shaken. Play stopped for 8mins as medical staff from both teams attended and the crowd gave a round of applause as he left the field. 

This seemed to put wind in the sails of the visitors as both teams showed early attacking intent and it was Burnley who took the initiative to go ahead in the first half through Weghorst, who rose to meet Jay Rodriguez’s diverted shot from Maxwel Cornet’s corner. The match wasn’t going our way and the long delay in play had clearly impacted the Hammers rhythm.

In fact, before half time it was Cornet who had a chance to take Burnley 2-0 as he raced into the area only to be brought down by Fabianski. Jeers and boos rang out as Cornet ran up to the spot only to feebly stroke the ball wide. The crowd celebrated as if the Hammers had scored. An opportunity that Burnley would come to regret at the final whistle.

The second half saw West Ham regain much of their earlier attacking fire and this was rewarded with an equaliser from close range by Soucek to set up a pacy end to the match. The Hammers pushed for a winner and both Bowen and Antonio testing Pope, whose acrobatic save from Issa Diop’s header making the difference. Pope’s influence in goal kept Burnley in the match but they are left with much to do if they are to remain in the Premier league with this result leaving them 3 points behind Everton, who have a game in hand.

West Ham on the other hand, chasing potential Champions League football, are 5 points clear with other teams around them having games in hand too. On another day, the Hammers could have won this match, but Pope, who must surely be up for an England place commanded the goal the deny the home side a much needed win.

I hope you enjoy the photos from the match

Take care

Dawud