Premier LeagueFulham 1-1 West Ham United
Saturday, 14th September 2024
by Chris Wilkerson
West Ham were saved by the boot of Danny Ings as the veteran striker scored in stoppage time to snatch a 1-1 draw for The Hammers at Fulham this Saturday afternoon.
After slack Mavropanos defending handed the hosts an opener in the first half, it looked like Julen Lopetegui's side were to fall to their third defeat from four Premier League games this season.The West Ham manager made one change from the team that had faced Manchester City, with Tomas Soucek coming in to replace Paqueta, who had played twice for Brazil in the international break. New signing Carlos Soler made the bench.
Last season, West Ham came to Craven Cottage fighting for the top five position, but found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-0 battering as Marco Silva's team tore David Moyes's side apart. If this was the bar, Lopetegui's side did not have a lot to better, but after being doubled by the Cottagers last season, much improvement was required.
With Adama Traore on the pitch, Fulham were bound to exploit their pace on the flanks, especially with Robinson overlapping on the opposite flank.
West Ham had gone with a very functional midfield, with Soucek, Rodriguez and Alvarez full of graft and grit, but very little guile. That decision by the manager underlined everything that happened in the half, with The Hammers failing to move the ball with any speed or creativity throughout the half.
That led to 45 minutes in which the away side created absolutely nothing, giving Fulham all the impetus in the game. Whilst Silva's team were not exactly flowing, they slowly took control of affairs and were in the ascendancy for the majority of the first half.
There was very little in the way of incident until a loose ball in the middle of the park with Mavropanos saw Traore bursting through the high defensive line and in on goal. The defender headed the ball right at him, and the winger needs no excuse to open his legs and fly forward.
Kilman did well to stay in contact with him as the pair sprinted at goal, a few steps behind but never completely out of reach, showing how much pace the centre back has.
It still didn't look to be enough as Traore got into the area, but not being able to make the most of his speed has long been the winger's problem. This time, he moved to get across Kilman's path, which forced contact. Down went Traore, but referee Tim Robinson was smart, seeing the leg he pushed out in front of the defender just before the pair came together, and the referee adjudged that the contact was initiated by the Fulham man. Fulham protested, but VAR upheld the on-field decision, and West Ham escaped.
Fulham kept going, controlling possession and finding it easy to snuff out anything The Hammers could bring forward. There were glimmers of threat, balls fired across the face of goal and weak efforts by the likes of Iwobi, but limited chances until a sudden burst of action after 20 minutes that defined the half.
The first chance was for Traore after Iwobi crossed from the left. The winger had the beating of Emerson on the deck and in the air as he muscled the left back out and met the ball, only to head over.
Mere moments later, Fulham had the lead they probably deserved. Whilst many of Mavropanos's worst moments in defence have come when the ball is at his own feet, this time was just a complete lack of defensive basics.
Lost possession in midfield saw Smith-Rowe make a run from deep as Jimenez occupied Kilman. Mavropanos failed to react, waiting a few steps deeper than Kilman and not pushing up as the ex-Arsenal midfielder burst into the space and well beyond the defender.
The ball went forward and Mavropanos appealed, but Smith-Rowe was onside and raced to the byline to keep the ball in play. With little urgency, Mavropanos got back to close him down, but the midfielder quickly looked up and played the ball in front of Jimenez's run, and the striker sprinted onto the ball and poked it home from inside the six-yard box.
West Ham's midfield just wasn't working, really only made to shut things down and protect the defence. With the lack of passing ability in midfield, there was very little threat for Fulham to fear, there were no sudden moves, no space being exposed and punished. The only moment they threatened was a deflected ball looping into the area for Soucek to control on the chest, but he blazed an ugly volley high and wide.
They could be happy to get in at half-time only 1-0 down having played poorly and allowed Fulham to control the game.
The manager agreed, using the half-time break to tear it up and start again. Antonio and Soucek were replaced, Paqueta and Summerville coming off the bench to change the way the team played, now with more pace and attacking intent. Bowen was now the striker, Kudus moving to right wing and Summerville pushing down the left.
It didn't lead to lightning on the pitch, but just adding Paqueta's intent to get on the ball and play forward, Bowen's movement up front and the extra pace now in the team with Summerville, West Ham not only looked better, but had threats that worried Fulham and didn't allow them to play the game at whatever pace they wanted.
There were more glimpses now, a weak header on goal within three minutes still a much better start than how little Lopetegui's side offered in the opening 45 minutes.
Emerson took a knock in the second half that eventually saw him replaced, having hurt himself first half trying to foul Traore, and was soon replaced by Coufal, with Wan-Bissaka moving across to the left.
Still, West Ham improved, but they didn't create. Their only real chance in the 90 minutes of allotted time came just before the hour mark, with Kudus getting in onto his left foot and curling a low ball into the box.
Bowen's first touch was sensational, cushioning the drilled ball in front of him, into the space behind the defender, and he was onto it quickly. Leno flew off his line to close the gap, and from six yards out, Bowen chose to hit with power and found he could only strike it right at the goalkeeper's chest. Had he a little more composure, he may have found success just passing it round him.
The Irons were the better side, but until they could produce anything, it was all for show. Lopetegui went to his bench a third time, giving his fellow Spaniard his West Ham debut as Soler replaced Rodriguez in midfield.
It was not all West Ham's way though, and Fulham soon found they could exploit the space as the away side got more desperate in their search for a goal.
They would have taken the lead, if not for the frame of Jimenez robbing Smith-Rowe of a wonderful goal. Substitute Reiss Nelson caused bother down the Fulham left with his pace, and a deflected cross from the Arsenal loanee looped into the air and down into the penalty box. Rushing onto it was Smith-Rowe, who smashed a volley at goal that was rocketing towards the corner, only to smash into Jimenez on its way and deflect to Tete, who could only poke wide.
Moments later, Traore again threatened in the air, with Cairney floating a cross to the back post for him to attack, but the winger again couldn't get anything on goal.
As we made it into the last 10 minutes, the hail mary came. Danny Ings was prepared and came on to replace Alvarez, taking a midfield that had started with Guido, Alvarez and Soucek, and now seeing it just marshalled by Soler and Paqueta. The gamble was required, but could the master finisher find that one moment?
There was half a chance for Nelson, one he hit right at Areola, but the game drifted to stoppage time before anything happened. Fortunately for West Ham and Danny Ings, this time the script was all primed for a heroic saviour.
Into the fourth of five stoppage time minutes, West Ham won a throw down the right. As we have seen many times before, Coufal grabbed it quickly and threw that long throw down the line for Bowen. The England international just about kept it in, and then fired a ball with his right book into the box.
Ings was moving, and all those years of goalscoring just took over. His first touch was fantastic, killing the flying ball quickly into his path, pushing it away from him as he ran from left to right and then placed it firmly into the bottom corner, down to Leno's left. The goalkeeper got a touch, but could only it parry it on its way into the back of the net. With a minute of added-on time to go, West Ham had stolen a point.
Not that it should have lasted. Immediately, Fulham got a freekick 10-15 yards into the West Ham half. Quickly curled in behind the West Ham defence, the Fulham players all attacked it, whilst some Hammers stood still. Paqueta lost his man and Bassey met the ball with a diving header 12 yards from goal. Areola was rooted, but he watched with everyone as the ball sailed inches wide of his left post.
The final whistle went straight after, the Bassey chance the last touch of the game.
West Ham had definitely been the better side in the second half, much like Fulham were in the first, and both teams got a reward for their prominence in an even contest between two well-matched teams.
Manager's Rating
Julen Lopetegui 6/10: Well, that last minute changed things! The team was completely wrong from the start, far too defensive and with no way of creating on the ball. Too many functional players. The half-time changes were good, but it's the big praise for not on my Ings coming on, but keeping him playing with Bowen through the middle, not leading the line.
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Click to view all West Ham United vs Fulham 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 AreolaNot tested much, but could have got down a bit quicker possibly for the goal. Harsh, but it was only going to be poked in.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Not good enough on the ball today. Consistently just too short or too sloppy with possession.
Emerson Palmieri
Struggled all game with Traore and eventually went off injured.
Konstantinos Mavropanos
His continued mistakes are becoming costly. In this game, his poor decision making and bad defending looked to have been the difference between the two teams, until Ings became saviour.
Max Kilman
Relatively fine performance, the defence actually protecting Areola reasonably well outside of Mavropanos.
Edson Alvarez
Looked a little short of full fitness and was similar to Guido in most aspects, just not quite proactive enough to turn possession into anything useful.
Guido Rodriguez
Did a good job at that efficient holding role off the ball, but couldn't offer enough on it.
Tomas Soucek
Drifted around with little clear position and made no impact. This role might work when the team has other ball players, but this midfield three couldn't manipulate possession into anything progressive, so Soucek just stayed on the periphery, achieving nothing.
Michail Antonio
One good turn aside, he was just ineffective. Let down by a team that couldn't keep or create with possession, but was equally loose. Four games into the season, it's hard to see how he's earned a place in the team.
Mohamed Kudus
One chance he created, but otherwise one of his poorer West Ham showings. Just seemed to lose belief, doing little more than trying mazy dribbles.
Jarrod Bowen
Made no impact out wide, but the bright spark in the team up front. Should have scored after Kudus found him in the box, his own first touch was so good that he set up a very good chance, but lacked a little composure. Then creates the goal.
Substitutes
Lucas Paqueta(Replaced Soucek 46) Just added someone in midfield who would take the ball and want it. He started looking forward with the ball, trying to move it around to create attacks, and that was completely missed in the first half.
Crysensio Summerville
(Replaced Antonio 46) Couldn't quite get into it and make inroads on the wing, but worked hard and showed glimpses. Enough to say he deserves more of a crack.
Vladimir Coufal
(Replaced Emerson 57) Wasn't great with the ball, and struggled with Nelson at times, but his sharp thinking and that long throw down the line were crucial in the late equaliser.
Carlos Soler
(Replaced Rodr?-guez 70) Looked a little off the high intensity pace of the Premier League, but also happy to put a foot in and be a bit combative.
Danny Ings
(Replaced Alvarez 82') What else can you ask of a man given that kind of cameo? Thrown on to make something decisive happen in the Fulham box, and didn't he just?!
Match Facts
West Ham United: Alphonse Areola, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Emerson Palmieri, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Max Kilman, Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, Tomas Soucek, Michail Antonio, Mohamed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen.Goals: None.
Booked: None booked. .
Sent Off: None sent off. .
Fulham: Leno , Tete, Bassey, Andersen, Robinson, Lukic (Berge 67), Pereira (Reed 87), Adama, Smith Rowe (Cairney 73), Iwobi (Nelson 66), Jimenez (Muniz 73).
Subs not used: Benda, Wilson, Castagne, Diop.
Goals: Jimenez (24).
Booked: Silva, Lukic.
Sent off: None.
Referee: Tim Robinson.
Attendance: 26,528.
Man of the Match: Danny Ings.