Yesterday was the annual holiday party for my company in New York. In previous years, the shindig has always been on a Friday. I hadn’t been in a few years because it always seemed to fall on the same day as a winter concert at school for one or both of my kids. Suffice it to say, I always chose kids. The switch to Saturday was more family friendly, as many of my colleagues brought spouses, partners, and youngens. It was, however, not at all football friendly. So while I would not have entirely minded a snowstorm or non-lethal illness that would have forced me to stay home and watch the match on my 65 inch TV, I did in fact enjoy myself at the party. The drive down, with the game streaming on my IPhone, was equally enjoyable once the usual panic went away. No, I didn’t watch TV while I drove. Not really. OK, I glanced over sometimes when the presenters sounded excited. But I watched the road. I did. Really.
Since this report as such was written well after the match ended, as opposed to being created while living through it, it will be shorter. Those of you applauding due to my occasional wordy writing, I’m sorry to say the longer version be back for Fulham.
The last thing West Ham wanted was to lose the momentum their first back to back wins in almost two years gave them going into yesterday’s match. But in the 5th minute, moments after Chicharito had a chance he should have done better with after a pass from Noble, Snodgrass hauled down McArthur to give Palace a free kick just over the midfield line. Van Aanholt lofted a pretty lazy ball into the box. West Ham tried to play Palace offside, but when Tomkins headed it towards goal McArthur timed his move and got to the ball and nudged it past a shocked Fabianski. Replays showed it was Rice who missed a beat and played the Scotland international onside.
West Ham 0
Crystal Palace 1
The rest of the first half labored on, as did my drive. West Ham didn’t create any chances that made me glance, and by the sound of it the London Stadium crowd was getting a bit salty. It could have turned into a sodium overload in first half injury time had it not been for the crossbar, which stopped a Milivojevic free kick from dipping into the top corner and doubling the visitors lead prior to the break.
Halftime
West Ham 0
Crystal Palace 1
I for one expected Perez to start, and was quite happy that he did. In fact, I think he should start next week at Craven Cottage. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t pleased that Carroll….you know, the tall guy with the man bun….started the second half in his stead. West Ham were getting the ball out wide, but the Palace defenders towered over Hernandez and Perez so the crosses were pretty easy for the Tomkins and Sakho to deal with. AC’s presence alone changed the flow and where their back line had to focus. Had the balls into the box been low and whipped across the area, it might have been a different kettle of fish.
I’m going to get a bit maudlin here. Remember, I’m in the wine biz. I’ve had a few. And it’s late.
If I had to choose one player on West Ham that I want my kids to emulate, it would be none other than Robert Snodgrass. After all of the abuse he took from his employer, his employers kids, as well as supporters, for him to come back from his loan at Villa and not only contribute but become pretty much undroppable is astonishing. His perseverance and professionalism are a lesson for us all.
West Ham had tried to get the ball into Big Andy, first off the foot of Masuaku and then Zabaleta. Both of those crosses were poor. The second was headed out by Sakho, but right to Snodgrass. I’m guessing Palace were expecting another ball out wide or possibly a pass from Snoddy into AC. Instead, he sent an absolutely gorgeous left footed curler past Hennessy for his first ever EPL goal in Claret & Blue.
West Ham 1
Crystal Palace 1
Here’s the thing about Chicharito. No, he has not been the same player we remember seeing at Manchester United. Or Real Madrid. Much of that has been down to how he has been used at West Ham. He cannot play up front alone. And even when paired with a second striker in a classic 4-4-2, he can be invisible for long stretches of time. But that doesn’t negate what the man still knows how to do, and that’s score goals. He was superb against Newcastle. He was almost non existent against Cardiff. And until the 62nd minute, he wasn’t much better yesterday. But when Carroll drew a silly foul by Tomkins to give the Hammers a free kick from 25 yards out, we were reminded of what he brings to the table. Anderson continued his excellent run of form with a terrific free kick over the wall. But Hennessy couldn’t handle it, and there was Lil Pea to knock it into the top of the net.
West Ham 2
Crystal Palace 1
Let’s see. What were the arguments against signing Anderson from Lazio for a record amount. There were many. One biggie was that no other team was in for him. How could he be any good if nobody else wants him? He only played for Brazil once. A 35 million pound Brazilian has to have played for the national team multiple times to be worth anything, right? Yet Pellegrini didn’t relent. “You said you would back me and get who I want. I want him. Get him”. I bet Sullivan was near apoplectic. But in the past few games, he has been outstanding. “A real player” is what my friend Neal Barnett, formerly of Chelsea TV and now SiriusXM radio called him on Friday. Minutes after Chicharito put West Ham in front, he rolled a pass to Anderson on the left side of the Palace eighteen yard box. He looked up, surveyed the scene, and unleashed a strike the likes of which we haven’t seen in these parts since Pa………
Yeah.
West Ham 3
Crystal Palace 1
When Schlupp came on late in the match, for some reason that made me anxious. OK, everything makes me anxious but his entry exacerbated the stress. He was just the kind of pain in the butt substitute that could make us miserable. And he did, in the 76th minute, when he got his head on the end of a Meyer cross and slipped it past Fabianski. Only a minute earlier, Pellegrini put Diangana on for Hernandez in a move I’m assuming many Hammers questioned. I want to attack. But you did, Pelle. That’s why you are up by two goals. So isn’t closing a game out an appropriate strategy at that point?
West Ham 3
Crystal Palace 2
As the final 15 minutes plus added time ticked away, I fully expected a Palace heartbreaking equalizer. Such a moment is in our genetic code. We have perfected it. But it never came.
Final Score
West Ham 3
Crystal Palace 2
I’m both smart enough and experienced enough not to get carried away. We have won three matches in a row, all against opponents we believe we should beat more times than not. But those are also the matches we so often disappoint in. At the end of the day, we do seem to have much of what we have asked for since the current merry band of whatever they are took over. We wanted actual investment with a quality manager. And we wanted to be entertained, to enjoy watching West Ham play football.
This past week, we have certainly had that.