After I write these reports, I log onto the site and go to an “admin” page to post them. The process includes choosing the category to which the article belongs, and in my case the drop down menu Iain set up includes David Hautzig Match Report. It also includes a category called David Hautzig Column, to which I have posted a grand spanking total of one piece. That singular piece of Claret & Blue prose was on the topic of who should replace He Who Shall Not Be Named after the 2014-2015 season. I gave a passing reference to Bilic, and even discussed why I didn’t want Rafa. I concluded by waxing poetic on the virtues of one David Moyes. I’d include a link to the article, but I figure by just reminding everyone of it I will have the appropriate amount of scorn heaped upon me.
I’m so glad I sell alcoholic beverages for pay.
I genuinely feel for Moyes, because deep in his soul he probably wishes he never left Everton. He’d never say that, obviously. Sir Alex picked me, once in a lifetime, blah blah blah. Well, Dave. You cannot put a price on happiness can you? And here you are, last place in the league, decimated by injuries, coming into a stadium and a club still trying to figure it all out. West Ham’s lack of available fullbacks gave way to the head scratching choice of Fernandes at left wing back, so even the opponents are not at their best. If Sunderland were capable of breaking their own fall, today would have been an optimal time and place to do it. They came close to heading north with something, but in the end thankfully they left empty handed.
West Ham had the first edge of the seat moments starting in the second minute when Lanzini, Payet, and Antonio combined on the right that ended with an Antonio cross intended for Zaza that resulted in a corner. Payet’s delivery was quite good, and Antonio came close to reaching it with a diving header. Moments later, after a touch pass from Noble, Payet tried a curling effort from the top of the eighteen-yard box that went wide. A minute later, Zaza pressured Van Aanholt into a second West Ham corner, which Zaza was able to parlay into yet another corner. That corner should have resulted in a West Ham penalty, when O’Shea held onto Ogbonna without any clue as to where the ball was. But referees don’t give West Ham spot kicks. They give West Ham opponent’s goal kicks.
West Ham should have taken the lead in the 10th minute when Noble sent Payet down the middle into the Sunderland defense. A half yard to the left or right and Pickford was beaten. But Payet sent his effort just a bit to Pickford’s left and he made the save. Five minutes later, Payet sent Lanzini to the races, who then released Zaza. But the man in desperate need of opening his West Ham account had his shot blocked out for a corner by Kone.
I wonder who coined the term “dummy” when referring to letting the ball roll past you, or through a defenders legs, to gain an advantage. Seems it should be called a Smarty. I guess the little candies over here by that same name would take umbrage. Screw ‘em. Let them sue me. In the 25th minute, Payet got loose with a little Smarty to make room for himself. He beat the Pickford, but couldn’t beat the lumber and the ball bounced straight off the post.
In the 30th minute, Sunderland decided it was time to take part in the contest. Van Aanholt fed Defoe in the box. As fear levels rose just because it was Defoe, his shot was blocked by Reid. Moments later, Fernandes allowed Manquillo to get inside him on a run into the box and the natural midfielder showed his inexperience at the back and gave up a free kick right at the edge of the West Ham box. Another step and it would have been a penalty. The wall did its job, but Sunderland stayed on the front foot with another free kick on the left side of the box. The delivery was good, but Rodwell’s header went over the bar. Sunderland continued with their best few minutes of the match by keeping possession inside the West Ham area. In the 35th minute, Defoe made a run into the box but just couldn’t tee up a shot before Reid and Ogbonna converged on him and a weak rolling effort towards Adrian was all he could muster.
I have an uncle who refuses to buy a new car. Every two years or so, he goes to an auction of re-possessed and other less than desirable automobiles and looks for a bargain. He always comes home with something, and that something always has an issue or two. Or three. He fixes it up, drives some more, fixes it again, and then after two years or so junks it and starts again. When we try to explain that he’s actually spending as much on his hit or miss attempts as he would on a new car over five or six years, he brushes us off.
Ok, I’m lying. I have no uncles anymore. They’re all dead, and none bought crappy used cars. One who lived in Toronto actually used to buy a new Cadillac every few years. But that’s not the point here. As I watch for Zaza to improve bit by bit each week, and I talk to people whose football acumen I trust implicitly, I’ve wondered if the market itself says Zaza is a bargain at this point because in a couple of years someone of lesser quality and virtually no upside will cost even more than Zaza will in a month. He has not shown enough as a striker to warrant a permanent signing yet, despite efforts like in first half injury time when he tried yet another bicycle kick that went wide. Is it because he is trying too hard? Is it because he isn’t meant to be a lone striker? Maybe it’s just that West Ham are being forced by some higher power to commit one way or the other on a striker, and until we do Obi Wan or whomever won’t let us off easy.
Halftime:
West Ham 0, Sunderland 0.
The innate fears of not finishing chances almost came back to haunt us in the opening moments of the second half when Khazri jumped on a defensive error and came face to face with Adrian. His shot also came face to face with Adrian, and he made the key save.
Back to Zaza. There are times when a single moment can encapsulate an issue, and right or wrong steer the future in one direction. That moment may have happened when West Ham came back down with a near perfect pass from Ogbonna to Zaza. The Italian made the run and was in on goal. Any striker on any level would have continued the run to freedom. They may not have scored, and they may even have taken a bad shot. But Zaza couldn’t even handle the ball. He slowed down, lost control, and Kone was able to clear. Zaza didn’t look angry. He looked resigned to a likely fate. Unless he goes on a goal scoring rampage, right or wrong that moment may be the determining factor for the board. I’m not passing judgement. I want him to succeed because I believe he has the tools to be a solid frontman for us. If he didn’t, Juventus would not have signed him and clubs like Valencia would not be interested in January. But football doesn’t always follow a logical script, and Zaza might look back on his time at West Ham with pure melancholy.
A few minutes later, Payet sent a cross into the box and it seemed telling that Zaza wasn’t the main target. He may not have been a target at all. Antonio was waiting on the far post but Pickford got their first. The Hammers stayed on the front foot with Lanzini dancing into the box on the left side. After touches by Noble and Fernandes the ball came to Antonio at the top of the box but his shot deflected softly into Pickford.
Sometimes the easier a chance is the harder it is. In the 64th minute, Payet found Fernandes all alone at the top of the Sunderland eighteen yard box. He rolled a pass to the young Swiss international, and his eyes likely resembled those of a cat that spots a deaf mouse with its back turned. But with the kill at hand, and having a very good day overall, Fernandes didn’t even hit the target and skied his effort well over the bar.
Over the summer, a friend of mine who loves La Liga told me how lucky we were to have signed Feghouli. From the moment he came on to replace Antonio in the 63rd minute, he was lively and adventurous. If he had targets in the box to pass to it might have even led to actual opportunities. Unfortunately the next sort of opportunity had nothing to do with Feghouli but came in the 74th minute when Obiang made an awkward run into the box and fired into the side netting.
As the ninety minutes began to wind down, one thing looked to be clear to many but seemingly not to Bilic. West Ham were making runs on the flanks, particularly Feghouli, but each and every time there was one man in Claret & Blue in the box surrounded by a sea of white shirts. And attempts to play the ball on the ground in and around the area were fruitless in terms of attempts on goal. West Ham needed an actual out and out striker in the box, and many have questioned why Fletcher hasn’t gotten more of a look this season from Bilic, especially with strikers as rare as white truffles at the London Stadium. In the 87th minute, Payet sent the young man in on goal down the left and with either a hard strike or a pass back into the box at his disposal, he flubbed his lines and lost the ball.
Deja Vu all over again.
The final, last gasp tactical move came in the 92nd minute…..when I moved from the living room to the kitchen. I changed out of my “inside shoes” into my trainers in order to rush out the door at the final whistle and drive in frustration to get my daughter. As I stood at the door to my garage, Payet took a short corner and fed Noble. Noble then gave the ball back to Payet, who pushed it to Reid at the top of the area. After a lovely bit of skill to backheel the ball to himself, he sent a low left footed effort goalbound. Only the third of our twenty attempts on goal to hit the target. And hit the target it did, rolling through Calleri’s legs and into the bottom corner of the net. Could it have been whistled for offside? Tony Gale thought so. Me, I think the heavens owed us that one bit of fortune.
Final Score.
West Ham 1, Sunderland 0.
Winning is certainly better than either drawing or losing. And if one side deserved three points more than the other, West Ham were that side. Fernandes did far better than expected in the wing back role, and Feghouli may require more of a look from Bilic going forward. Perhaps at the expense of Noble. But as useful as the three points are, there isn’t as much to feel chipper about as I, and I’m guessing many of you, had hoped for. Up front we lacked….everything. With the clock ticking on Zaza one way or the other, it’s probably time to see if Calleri or Fletcher can partner with him. Or even partner with each other. Without exploring every option, starting Wednesday against Chelsea, then even the loan fee will be wasted because of the “what ifs”. I’m not trying to sound too damp. I am, however, trying to avoid reading too much into a third consecutive one nil win at home over Sunderland.
But at least we can bask in glow of Lady Luck for a week, which is preferable to wallowing in the darkness of despair.