If you don’t follow Andy Caulton on Twitter, you should. Lifelong Albion supporter and a real encyclopedic knowledge not only of his side, but also of the game. I posed a question to him this morning, knowing he was visiting family and would attend the match. Is it hard to watch a Pulis team in the same way it was hard for many to watch Sam?
His reply was insightful.
“Quandry. Guilt or Greed? We are safe. Incredibly early in the season for us. Many teams who have spent more money are imploding. Birmingham neighbors would die for where we are. But with Pulis you ought to know how things are going to be, just like Sam. Is it hard to watch? Once bitten twice shy. Game 1 this season v City, Pulis attacked from the off. It was invigorating, exciting, shocking. But after missing chances an inspired Silva killed us. Risk taken, risk lost. Pulis blamed the defeat on himself. He just hates to take risks. Pragmatism is in his blood. Organization is his DNA.”
If the opening minutes were a foreshadow of things to come, it would have been an awful trip back to London. The Baggies pressed high up the pitch, which seemed to take West Ham by surprise. And if Craig Gardner had buried one of his early chances the day might have taken on a different hue. In the 8th minute, West Brom’s 17 year old debutante Leko took Cresswell to the end-line on the right and showed good command by beating Cresswell before rolling a pass to Gardner. Antonio blocked Gardner’s first effort and Adrian took care of the second. Minutes later an awful touch by Noble in the West Ham penalty area allowed Gardner to latch onto the ball and try a curling left footed effort. It looked goal bound before Adrian used the hangnail on the pinkie of his right hand to steer the ball around the post.
It wasn’t until the 20th minute that West Ham even made it look like scoring was part of the plan when Lanzini got the ball on the right and sent a cross into the box for Carroll, but the big man’s effort was weak and over the bar.
West Brom applied more pressure and came close to an opener in the 23rd minute when Evans sent a cross from the left over everyone and looked destined to go out for a goal kick. But somehow it hugged the line and Leko retrieved it. Another cross found Gardner, and a man who could easily have been looking for a stunning early hat trick put his headed effort wide.
Obviously I cannot read minds. Except when my wife is annoyed with me. For another time. Where was I? Right. In the 26th minute it looked like Antonio had looked around, saw Gardner with multiple chances and the whole of West Ham with basically none, and said enough is enough. Spark time. He embarked on a run down the right from inside the West Ham half, at one time running faster than a well kicked ball to get around Olsson. The make shift right back sent a cross that Carroll couldn’t get to and was cleared. Cresswell got to it and re-started the attack with Payet, who sent a through ball down the left that Cresswell sent low and into the box. Sakho tried to slide in for a tap in but just missed.
West Ham really started to assert themselves in the 33rd minute when Lanzini dribbled out of danger in the West Ham half…those words, particularly the word “dribble”, feel good to keep saying….before passing to Payet. The soon to be Hammer Of The Year rolled the ball to Sakho down the right before shooting, but Foster put it out for a corner.
The Hammers finally had their breakthrough in the 35th minute. The Baggies tried to clear the ball from their own end, but Reid stayed with it and while fighting for possession forced a deflection out wide to Payet. The Frenchman sent a sublime cross to Kouyate, who headed it back towards the far post and past a helpless Foster.
West Brom 0, West Ham 1.
I know we are playing some wonderful football, and the edict from Slaven is to try and play out of the back when at all possible. Still, my stomach turns whenever we play quick, short passing football in our own end. I’m sorry. It’s no different than still telling my kids to watch their heads when I close the trunk/boot of my car, even though they are well aware of their surroundings by now. So in first half added on time, when we were passing the ball in little triangles, spaces so tight any whiff of body odor could have caused damage, I was anxious. I could easily envision the ball popping out, going to Rondon, and an even scoreline at halftime. I could not easily envision what I did see. An Ogbonna pass that Lanzini let slide past him, knowing Kouyate was on the run. Then Kouyate continued his run before laying it off for an onrushing Noble, who after a heavy first touch calmly poked it by an absolutely shell shocked Foster. The players certainly did the work on the pitch, but that was a Bilic goal. A goal brought on by the belief that they are allowed to take that chance and that they can play that way. It was glorious in its own way.
Halftime: West Brom 0, West Ham 2.
The passing game that started midway through the first half continued in full Technicolor in the second. At times I decided not to even try and keep up with who was passing to whom because there were just so many. West Brom must have felt like they were playing against 14. In the 55th, what seemed like more possession based time killing turned into another quick counter led by Cresswell. The West Ham left back had looked like he could be on the verge of a horrible day early in the first half. He certainly pressed the reset button and sent a cross that Carroll did very well to reach. Man Bun’s header back across the face of goal was begging for someone to be there. Nobody was, and West Brom were allowed to think they could still get back into this game.
They should have cut the lead in half in the 64th minute when Rondon did what big men are supposed to do. He won the ball and layed it off for someone near him in the box. This time it was recent substitute Berahino, who probably should have scored but put his shot wide. A few minutes later, Dawson found their other recent sub Sandro thirty yards out. But his shot rolled harmlessly wide. You know, the way QPR shots roll harmlessly wide.
I happen to love when bands cover each other’s stuff. I’ve got tickets to see Sting and Peter Gabriel touring together this summer, and it will be fun to hear them interpret each other’s music. West Ham put an emphatic end to any hope West Brom had of getting anything from this game in the 79th minute with their own type of cover work. Carroll crossed from out wide to Noble in the box who volleyed it home.
Final Score: West Brom 0, West Ham 3.
We all know the records from today. Highest point total in our Premier League history. Unbeaten in ten matches for the first time in thirty years. Destined for our first ever EPL positive goal difference. It’s astounding.
Back to Andy.
WHU were brilliant. Was right next to Bilic. Energy levels and guidance even at 3-0 was simply inspirational. He never stopped. Balance of WHU was outstanding. Noble was fantastic, dictated the game with Kouyate. Reid was a rock. And in possession, you were so smooth. Bilic gave a master class in coaching. I’ve never seen anything like it in person.
I’m adding a song, although the lyrics are far from done.
We’ve got Bilic.