A woeful West Ham efficiency, which noticed Konstantinos Mavropanos despatched off and Lukasz Fabianski give away a penalty, highlighted the issues going through Graham Potter as Jean-Philippe Mateta fired Crystal Palace above them within the Premier League with a 2-0 win on the London Stadium.
West Ham had been fortuitous to beat Fulham of their midweek outing however this was a damning show, with their overly cautious strategy within the opening 45 minutes finally punished. They did not handle a shot on course and their finest probability – a horribly sliced shot from Lucas Paqueta – summed up their attacking play.
On the again, they may not deal with Mateta. Max Kilman stood off him to permit the Palace man to fireside into the underside nook at first of the second half and hit the online for a 3rd Premier League recreation in a row.
Mavropanos was booked for 2 fouls on him both aspect of that opener after which Lukasz Fabianski introduced down Eddie Nketiah after Mateta had launched his strike associate within the field. The Frenchman squeezed within the spot-kick within the 89th minute to seal a win that strikes Palace as much as twelfth.
It’s now a club-record seven video games unbeaten away from dwelling within the prime flight for Palace, who’ve gained 4 of their final 5 on the street. They’ve gained back-to-back video games within the Premier League for the primary time this time period, too. West Ham’s path of journey is way much less optimistic.
They’re 10 factors away from third-bottom Ipswich however the boos that rang out at full-time right here underlined the temper. Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville and Michail Antonio are out with accidents so there are mitigating elements. However with journeys to Aston Villa and Chelsea subsequent on their schedule, West Ham’s state of affairs may worsen earlier than it will get higher.
Potter: We lacked depth
West Ham boss Graham Potter:
“I believe Palace performed properly. Credit score to them. We had been in all probability a bit passive. We regarded a bit leggy, unable to play with any actual depth to place the strain on I would like us to. We had been unable to maintain lengthy sufficient assaults.
“Whereas the sport was 0-0 Palace had been the higher staff and we had been hanging on. We began the second half not properly, conceding. The subs gave us extra vitality, we had been on the entrance foot however the sending off affected us. Even then we nonetheless went for the equaliser and that led to the penalty on the finish.
“Palace are in a special second to us. They have been working collectively for a very long time. I would not say it was an excuse but it surely regarded prefer it was [one game too far in a tough week].
“Is defence or assault the precedence? It is that finish and the attacking finish, we have to enhance each issues. When you’re conceding targets it makes it troublesome to assault properly and if you happen to’re not pushing groups again you find yourself defending loads.”
Evaluation: Blunt West Ham ship alarming attacking show
Sky Sports activities’ Peter Smith:
West Ham followers may smile on the stat that they’d scored from all three of their pictures on course in opposition to Fulham on Tuesday. However few noticed the humorous aspect of their staff’s attacking play in opposition to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
No pictures on course and subsequent to no menace in any respect within the ultimate third. Mohammed Kudus led the road this time as an alternative of Lucas Paqueta however no matter Graham Potter had deliberate, this was an alarming show.
There have been groans across the floor as Lukasz Fabianski and his centre-backs repeatedly exchanged passes within the first half, with seemingly no intention of going forwards. Palace will be exhausting to interrupt down however at occasions West Ham regarded uninclined to even strive. Higher to maintain possession than assault and threat dropping it?
After all, the absences of Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville and Michail Antonio have diminished their attacking choices. However West Ham followers count on way more thrust from their groups, no matter who is obtainable.
It’s nonetheless early days in Potter’s reign and he’ll hope extra coaching floor time will result in extra cohesive performances. However, on this proof, the mentality of the group must shift right into a extra attacking mindset.
Glasner: A superb efficiency
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner:
“I believe it is the identical consequence, twice successful 2-0 [also against Leicester], however I believe it is a large distinction within the efficiency. As we speak was a superb efficiency, I believe we managed the sport over the entire time and we did not give West Ham a transparent probability to attain.
“We scored our targets in the precise moments straight after half-time after which once they tried once more to get the equaliser, we determined the sport with the penalty. So I am more than happy with the consequence and the efficiency at this time, whereas at Leicester I used to be simply happy with the consequence.”
Mateta continues red-hot kind in entrance of purpose
Sky Sports activities’ Will Bitibiri:
Nook flags beware, Jean-Phillipe Mateta is in red-hot kind.
His brace in opposition to a dismal West Ham signifies that Crystal Palace’s marksman now has 4 targets in his final three video games. It is a run that began because the flip of the 12 months with these 4 matching his return for the season previous to 2025. After a gradual begin to the marketing campaign, he seems again to his domineering finest, linking up with Eberechi Eze to burst West Ham’s new supervisor bubble as they linked up for one more purpose.
By organising Mateta once more, Eze has now supplied eight Premier League assists for Mateta, with no Palace participant helping a teammate extra usually within the competitors’s historical past. The tally matches the earlier file with Michael Olise additionally helping Eze eight occasions.
“He at all times wants the gamers round him who may give him the ball,” stated Glasner afterwards. “However then when he will get it in the precise areas, and that is what we’re engaged on daily with the entire staff, then we all know that he has a tremendous end.”