Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney, who scored 28 league goals between them for Watford last season but had not found the net in the league before yesterday, each got off the mark to pull their team back from a 2-0 deficit before half-time.
Advertisement
There were also issues keeping the two sets of supporters apart as the Hornets’ claimed their first Premier League victory of the season in a 4-2 win. The first one was more the one that worries me. “While these isolated incidents were quickly brought under control, this behavior has no place in football and West Ham will work tirelessly to eradicate such incidents”. The defending was beyond atrocious and Slaven Bilic has plenty to ponder.
GK Adrian, 5 – Poor. You can’t concede that kind of goal then.
West Ham fan and Daily Mirror sports editor Matty Lawless called on the club to “get a grip” in the wake of the clashes. Not for the first time he looked out of his depth.
DF Winston Reid, 5 – Always seemed a few seconds behind the play as his focus and anticipation was too often too slow. In first half we had so much space behind them that we used with pace of Mikey and other players we had space. Sadly this didn’t continue in the second period.
MF Cheikhou Kouyate, 5 – While he made a few good challenges in the opening 30 minutes he just seemed to disappear from the game thereafter. For a player with such presence that was a disappointment.
And in first-half injury time, a communication breakdown in the heart of the West Ham defence presented Watford with the equaliser. Watford appealed for offside, with some justification, but it was marginal and a goal created by supreme artistry was allowed to stand.
Seven minutes into the second half, Etienne Capoue completed Watford’s comeback with a stunning left-footed volley after fantastic build up from Roberto Pereyra and Daryl Janmaat.
Advertisement
Michail Antonio and Dimitri Payet combined to give the Hammers a comfortable lead, only for Walter Mazzarri’s men to spring into action on an afternoon of high drama at London Stadium. He continues to show what a unsafe winger he is.
