Premier LeagueNottingham Forest 2-0 West Ham United
Saturday, 17th February 2024
by Chris Wilkerson
The scoreline may not have been as chastening, but the defeat was just as demoralising as West Ham followed their hammering at home by Arsenal with an insipid and limp defeat away to Nottingham Forest.
And it really started to feel like the end of Moyes's tenure as his side were outplayed from start to finish as they lost 2-0 at the City Ground.A simple first-half goal for Taiwo Awoniyi was followed by a late second for the fantastic Callum Hudson-Odoi as West Ham continued their descent down the table in 2024.
The line-ups gave West Ham fans a reason to feel more optimistic as Michail Antonio made his return to the team for the first time since November, replacing Johnson. Soucek was replaced by Kalvin Phillips, too, in a move that can only have cheered some of Moyes and Soucek's fiercest detractors.
Bowen moved to the right wing, Kudus the left, and a midfield three of Ward-Prowse, Phillips and Alvarez were tasked with playing with more aggression in the middle.
Both sides were looking for their first win in the calendar year, although at least the home side had managed to conquer Bristol City in the cup after penalties.
But these are two sides feeling very differently. Forest have their new manager, and are looking to move up the table whilst matters off the pitch hang heavy over them. West Ham, on the other hand, have gone from excitement to agony as pressure grows on David Moyes from social media and into the stands.
It was the hosts who started the better, and whilst they gradually improved as they gained confidence, West Ham slowly failed to keep pace. Nuno's side could have scored inside five inside five minutes after good work from Tavares - and a loose arm that floored Coufal - got him to the byline to dig out a cross.
His chipped cutback found Elanga moving to the centre of the box, and as he caught the ball on the bounce, he managed to keep it low and fire at goal, but only found a strong boot from Areola.
There were moments where you could see that Moyes's new look midfield was there to press higher and disrupt possession, but it was fleeting, and hit-and-miss in its success. Soon, the energy was gone.
The Hammers had an early sniff of a chance after great work down the right by Bowen, and he dug out a good cross to the far post for Kudus. At head height, the Ghanaian chose to take it down to shoot. Within six yards of goal, he was not permitted the space to do that properly, and his shot was easily blocked. A header would surely have caused problems.
Those early stages were level, but Forest were able to suddenly break out into wonderful, fast passing football when turning it on. Gibbs-White orchestrated behind Awoniyi, who again proved himself the perfect striker for a Moyes system. Elanga and Hudson-Odoi, both available in the summer, were electric on the wings.
After just short of half hour of being slightly outplayed by the home side, West Ham turned a dangerous and messy situation in their own box into a counter-attack and a huge opportunity.
Having desperately scrapped and scraped to get a bouncing and ricocheting ball clear of the box, Antonio was suddenly freed up on the halfway and burst into the Forest half. Driving at the defence, he pushed into the area with a man to beat.
Whether he's rusty, or whether that is just Michail Antonio, who knows, but the striker sold a poor dummy that no defender was buying, and was dispossessed close to goal. Sometimes, you just have to hit it when you can.
It was quickly back up the other end, and Awoniyi nearly got around Areola after a lovely pass from Elanga slid him in. Just inside the box, the big striker toed the ball to poke it around Areola who had rushed out, but the Frenchman made a sliding challenge to excellently recover possession.
The similarities between the team were very clear. Gibbs-White is certainly a more attacking option ahead of a central pair than Ward-Prowse, but these were two sides who almost mirrored each other.
Full backs who got up and down the pitch, with the left back better on the ball but defensively loose. One centre back more physical and traditional, one faster and better on the ball, but maybe more prone to basic errors. A big and mobile centre forward who occupies two defenders and works to enable the faster wide players, both of whom attack goal.
It looked to be heading to the break with the game at 0-0, with nothing much to talk about but how often Coufal was taking arms to the face, but West Ham snatched away that hope with just one more example of Aguerd undermining his whole side.
It was a simple goal. A cross was headed clear, but returned quickly into the box as Dominguez drove a low pass to Awoniyi's feet.
With his back to goal, and Aguerd tight to him, the striker just turned and went past the Moroccan and brushed him aside before placing it into the bottom corner with seconds of stoppage time remaining. It was as simple as that, really. Aguerd didn't quite invite him to pop around the side and score, but it wasn't far off. He has been a big part in far too many goals conceded this season, and it would be a surprise if he had another year in claret and blue.
Regular watchers of West Ham will not be surprised to hear that Moyes's side did not come out with gusto after half-time. They needed to assert themselves on this game, but they couldn't, leaving Forest more comfortable and in more control than the first 45. The manager did shuffle one thing, switching Bowen and Kudus.
Five minutes in and Elanga was stinging Areola's palms with a fierce shot too close to the goalkeeper. The Frenchman is the only West Ham player to come out of the game with much credit.
Forest played the nicer stuff throughout the game, and it's hard to think of any moment where West Ham clicked into gear. They have settled into a poor run of form that is reminiscent of a weak October, and that was in a spell that ended with West Ham grinding out ugly wins in November to kickstart their form again. That is where they are at now, just trying to find anything to push them through the games, but not clicking.
It will be this, rather than any perceived assessment of style, that could do it for the manager. These dips are too steep now, and to happen twice in a season like this is going to cause issues. This also made it just one win in the 12 games Paqueta has missed.
There was very little to report from the second half for a long time, a fantastically struck but comfortably saved Danilo volley aside, until a bad three minutes saw the end of Kalvin Phillips.
First he was booked for a frankly nothing push as a Forest player stopped him taking a quick freekick. It was less forceful and obvious than a two-handed shove Tavares had given Kudus in possession, and that wasn't even a freekick.
Three minutes later, the midfielder went for a 50/50 with Gibbs-White. Not only was it just an innocuously contested ball that had no cynicism or force, Phillips didn't even make much, if any contact with his opponent, who flew to the ground and writhed in pain, clearly attempting to force a second yellow. Whilst you don't like to see it, it is not his fault the referee was so weak to buy it.
With just under 20 minutes to play, West Ham were down to 10. Weirdly, it inspired some of the most attacking substitutions Moyes has ever made at West Ham. It wasn't the ones that followed directly after, with Cornet and Johnson replacing Antonio and Coufal, but soon some left-field choices were made, but not before Cornet could have had an instant impact.
Straight away, a freekick was delivered into the Forest box, and it flew to the far post, over all the heads in the middle. It dropped to Cornet, but the Ivorian could only swing and miss with his volley. He was placed well, and should have done better.
His performance wasn't one to push him into the first team. He looks most suited to playing on the left wing, a position where we have no alternative to the injured Lucas Paqueta, unless you count Ben Johnson. But he failed again to do even the basics well.
He nearly had a hand in Forest extending their lead with 10 minutes to play. After misplacing and underhitting a simple 10-yard pass to Bowen, Forest quickly countered. They sent it out wide to Hudson-Odoi, the left channel their favourite route to goal, and the winger stood up his man and then clipped a ball into the middle.
It flew at Elanga in the centre, but a little too quickly for the former-Manchester United man, and he could only volley over the bar.
A minute or two later, Cornet clipped Williams in the box, taking the Welshman down, and was incredibly lucky not to be punished. The referee waved play on, and then VAR checked and confirmed his decision.
But the replays showed, however accidentally it was, Cornet bringing his foot down and standing on Williams's foot as he ran past him. It impeded the full back, even if it wasn't a challenge, and should have been punished.
Soon Soucek was on for Emerson, with Aguerd moving to left back and Alvarez going into defence.
And it seemed that a few minutes later, the game was done, only for West Ham (and Areola) to be saved by the assistant referee's flag.
A corner curled into the far post was punched away by Areola, but only down and into the centre of the box. Danilo quickly smashed the loose ball at goal, only to see his shot blocked in front of the goalkeeper and deflected into the air.
It looped up and over a pathetic flailing arm from Areola, dropping into the net, but the away side were saved by a Forest player standing on the line behind Areola, who was deemed to be doing enough to interfere.
West Ham threw bodies forward, and tried to throw crosses into the box. The closest they came to a chance was after a wonderfully wicked curling cross from Ward-Prowse was headed on by Bowen, but his flick was just too far ahead of Zouma.
Elanga could have finished it once more from another counter-attack, which again went wide to Hudson-Odoi. This time, he rolled it across to Elanga, but the winger hit wildly and got well under it.
Ings was thrown on for Zouma, a back three now of Aguerd, Alvarez and Johnson, but Moyes was punished for leaving on the worst defender he had started with.
First Aguerd lost a header with Origi that he was set to win, and then he lost the simple 50/50 with Williams, too soft for the small full back. Both times, he was favourite to win the ball. Both times he was too tentative and casual, when he needed to be physical and commanding.
Williams got to the byline after being Aguerd to the ball, drilled it low across goal, and whilst Elanga's swing and miss didn't convert, the ball dropped to Hudson-Odoi, who was composed as he drilled into the bottom corner with seconds on the clock to finally put the contest to bed, and score a deserved goal.
It's that Allardyce goodbye all over again, a manager not backed from a promising position because he's not shiny and exciting enough for the owner and the angrier fans.
Manager's Rating
David Moyes 4/10: It's tough for him to take so much of the blame when Aguerd can't do simple things, but that pattern has been there all season, and he's immediately backed by the manager with more game time.
We all know he has been limited by the board, his squad wrecked, but he is still the manager of a good group of players who should be better than this.
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Click to view all West Ham United vs Nottingham Forest match reports Click to view all match reports by Chris Wilkerson Like to share your thoughts on this article? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.Player Ratings
Alphonse AreolaVery awful on the disallowed goal, but otherwise made good saves and kept his side in it.
Vladimir Coufal
Bested by Hudson-Odoi, whose ability to go at pace either way was enough to limit Coufal. His pace also meant the full back seemed scare going forward and wasn?EUR(TM)t a presence on the wing as he should be, and often is.
Emerson Palmieri
Is his career just a case of what he can do with Paqueta there? He?EUR(TM)s had a weirdly forgettable career that is also full of honours, but again he was underwhelming in every area without his Brazilian mate ahead of him.
Kurt Zouma
Struggled immensely with Awoniyi, and a big, burly centre forward should be the type he can engage.
Nayef Aguerd
He passes quite nicely. He?EUR(TM)s quite fast. But, when it comes to basic defending, he is criminally short of what is required in this league. Physically weak, doesn?EUR(TM)t sense danger, doesn?EUR(TM)t really seem driven to do better.
Edson Alvarez
His role must be incredibly hard right now. The centre backs behind him are floundering, his colleague is either a good passer who is struggling to find his feet, or an awful passer does a lot of dirty work. The attack is far from firing, and there are just too many fires for the Mexican to be able to put out, and nobody else capable of passing forward.
Kalvin Phillips
He was improved, and is clearly getting better with each passing day, but still not in the game enough, a little off the pace and unsure of himself. His passing got better, he pushed into attacks and his aggression in the press and in challenges is something the side miss, but it?EUR(TM)s not coming together yet. The red card was ridiculous and not his fault, just poor refereeing.
James Ward-Prowse
In games like this, he doesn?EUR(TM)t have enough of a wow factor - whether it?EUR(TM)s passing forward or carrying the ball - to really lift the team from a 10~ role. The set-pieces are his special skill, and he can?EUR(TM)t force players to head them in.
Mohamed Kudus
One bad decision in the box to take a cross down, otherwise a very quiet game. Looks a bit lost since his return from the AFCON. There is a spark missing, whether it?EUR(TM)s personal, the team being bad or missing the killer playmaker in Paqueta.
Jarrod Bowen
Best moments came on the right wing, but he has always had a habit of disappearing until the decisive moments. Now there are no decisive moments, he?EUR(TM)s just quiet and taking Kudus out of his best role.
Michail Antonio
Worked hard, but looked rusty. Should have taken the shot on earlier when he broke away, and was otherwise his erratic self.
Substitutes
Maxwel Cornet(Replaced Antonio, 75) Missed a big chance, played a sloppy pass that nearly ended with us conceding, was very lucky not to have a penalty given against him. We sold Fornals and Benrahma for this.
Ben Johnson
(Replaced Coufal, 76) Did a fine job at right back, covered well in central defence.
Tomas Soucek
(Replaced Emerson, 83) After coming on in the 82nd minute, he had four touches of the ball.
Danny Ings
(Replaced Zouma, 90+3) Thrown on with moments remaining and is not to blame.
Lukasz Fabianski
Did not play.
Aaron Cresswell
Did not play.
Angelo Ogbonna
Did not play.
Konstantinos Mavropanos
Did not play.
Divin Mubama
Did not play.
Match Facts
West Ham United: Alphonse Areola, Vladimir Coufal, Emerson Palmieri, Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, Edson Alvarez, Kalvin Phillips, James Ward-Prowse, Mohamed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen, Michail Antonio.Goals: None.
Booked: Mohammed Kudus 0 Michail Antonio 0 Kurt Zouma 0 Vladimir Coufal 0 Kalvin Phillips 0 .
Sent Off: Kalvin Phillips 0 .
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Williams, Felipe, Murillo, Tavares, Domínguez (Yates 86), Danilo, Elanga, Gibbs-White (Omobamidele 90+3), Hudson-Odoi, Awoniyi (Origi 67).
Subs not used: Turner, Kouyaté, Toffolo, Niakhaté, Reyna, Ribeiro.
Goals: Awoniyi (45+5), Hudson-Odoi (90+4).
Booked: Gibbs-White, Awoniyi, Williams, Domínguez.
Sent off: None.
Referee: Tom Bramall.
Attendance: 29,990.
Man of the Match: .