As much as I wished I could look at this current relegation battle as something we can control, I could not. I watched or followed the other matches with even more fervor because I still have serious doubts about how that last day against Aston Villa would go if we were desperate. I could barely compose myself in the parking lot of my daughter’s dentist yesterday when Everton equalized. But that joy dissipated as the march towards kickoff today ensued. My standard angst took over. By the final whistle, the relief I so often beg for was handed to me.
I’m so used to West Ham being the victim of defensive errors, when Masina failed to clear the ball from the Watford area in the 6th minute after a deflection by Bowen, I barely took note. But the ball found it’s way to Fornals at the top of the Watford eighteen yard box. The Spaniard caught the run of Antonio…of course it was Antonio…and for the 7th time this month Speedy Santa found the back of the net.
West Ham 1
Watford 0
I hadn’t even finished the paragraph above when young Ben Johnson got the ball on the right and rolled a simple pass to Bowen. The thing about crosses are that when they are near perfect, they are a nightmare to defend. Bowen sent the kind of ball into the box that we all assumed Matt Jarvis would deliver to Carroll for years. Far enough from the keeper that he cannot reach it, and pacey enough to not allow defenders to wait on it. Bowen crossed the ball just that way, and Soucek headed it past Foster.
West Ham 2
Watford 0
Watford did try to answer The Hammer’s dream start a few minutes later when Sarr, the player my daughters friend and Manchester United supporter Eli said could be a problem, got on the end of a long ball. His low shot was blocked by Fabianski, and then the rebound by Cleverly was taken care of by Ogbonna. But the Hornets enjoyed a good spell on the ball, had some room to maneuver in, and on another day could have changed the complexion of the match.
West Ham won a corner in the 30th minute, which was a useful way to buy some extra time for Cresswell to recover from a forearm to the face by Sarr. Unfortunately the set piece was not the same standard as his earlier cross and Masina cleared. A minute later Cleverly sent a ball over the top that Sarr chased down. Had it not been for a terrific tackle by Ogbonna in the box I would have liked Sarr’s chances.
100 Million Pounds. That has been the number thrown about when the valuation of Declan Rice is the topic of conversation. Would we take 75? Hmmmmm, that’s a tough one . Or is it? When Noble simply laid the ball off for his likely successor as captain, I assumed he would try to pick out another pass out wide. Shooting was never the expectation. Heck, even when he teed it up I figured it would be a wasted effort that did nothing more than give the ball back to Ben Foster. The photographers didn’t even take a snappy of the shot. Young Declan does do that from time to time, you know. The closeup of Foster afterwards said it all, as you could clearly see him say “wow”.
West Ham 3
Watford 0
The visitors kept the ball in the West Ham half as the opening forty-five minutes wound down. Part of that was due to West Ham being sloppy, particularly young Johnson. He’s a kid. He can learn.
Halftime
West Ham 3
Watford 0
As the second half began, I wondered how Watford would come out. On one hand, they could throw everything at West Ham and try to claw their way back into the game. But the goal difference was starting to look problematic. Do they risk conceding another goal or two? They went for the former, and it paid off early. Doucoure went on a run down the left and put a low shot off the post. But the rebound went straight to a known West Ham killer in Deeney who slotted it home.
West Ham 3
Watford 1
Watford kept the pressure up, and West Ham started to look very anxious. Putting balls out, long balls over the top, the kind of things that invite a team that has come back from losing positions twice since re-start to believe they can do it again. Add that West Ham lead the league in dropped points from winning positions and I make no apologies for feeling sick as the second half continued.
West Ham won a corner in the 70th minute after another Rice effort was deflected out. It was a respite from the Watford assault more than an actual chance created. The Hammers even saw a second corner after Dawson played it safe and put the ball out. But no shots on target were created, and bums were still well and truly squeaky.
Moments later, West Ham came oh so close to a fourth goal when Haller caught Foster off his line and tried to lob it over him. But the Watford keeper just a fingertip or two on the ball to direct it wide. On TV it looked in, which made the reality all the more difficult to accept. Despite what some say, I still like Haller and I think he will come good.
Watford kept probing, and I kept wringing my hands. In the 80th minute Gray and Sarr played a give and go on the right side but when Gray tried to find someone in the box he found Ogbonna, who promptly cleared. Moments later Watford would have scored had Welbeck seen the cross headed his way from Sarr. But his fellow man in the box, Gray, actually blocked his view and when the ball landed at his feet it bounced off them and over the bar.
Watford had a very good chance in the 87th minute when Sarr streaked down the right, getting on an overhead ball from Cleverly. Gray streaked into the box, begging for a ball at his feet. But Sarr’s delivery looked as tired as him and it found nobody.
Final Score
West Ham 3
Watford 1
I’d like to say that I have finally learned my lesson. That I will no longer rush to judgment on West Ham players or managers, predict gloom and doom, and see the trap door awaiting at every turn. But we all know that isn’t going to happen. If I haven’t changed after almost 30 years supporting West Ham, no one should hold their breath. But West Ham took care of business early, then did very well to hold off the second half surge by Watford. All that should allow us to relax for the final two matches and watch the teams below us squirm and fret.
Fine by me.