Mikhail Antonio scored West Ham’s two goals.
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West Ham were shell-shocked and Watford wasted no time in taking advantage – Holebas drilling in their fourth from the edge of the area just after the hour mark, though Adrian should have done better with the attempted save.
When Dimitri Payet executed a rabona to set up Michail Antonio’s second goal, the trick proved the tipping point for Watford.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic was surprised to learn of the incidents.
Nearly as captivating was Deeney’s lob of goalkeeper Adrian in first-half injury-time that enabled Watford to enter half-time all-square and West Ham’s fretful back four never recovered. Watford tried to answer the early pressure as Pereyra supplied Ighalo, but the Nigerian struck tamely into the side netting. Meanwhile, Ighalo twice went close for the visitors, firstly firing wide from close range, then seeing Adrian block his snapshot from twelve yards.
First in the misfiring line will be strikers Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney, whose 32-goal partnership last season is turning into a drought.
‘If we defend like this, we aren’t going to win a single game. The first one was more the one that worries me.
West Ham took the lead after five minutes when Antonio escaped his markers to glance Payet’s corner from the left and past Gomes.
Chances were also falling at the other end, however, with Ighalo at fault for missing one before Adrian came to West Ham’s rescue for the second.
“Tomorrow, you will see what formation I will play”. They were pressuring us, we felt the pressure not only of them, but of the public (crowd). Collins nodded a bouncing ball away from Adrian, Deeney collected it and, with the goalkeeper out of his ground, curled it sweetly into the top far corner.
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West Ham had been cruising with French playmaking star Dmitri Payet making his first start of the campaign and immediately easing into the role of creative fulcrum.
