West Ham 0-2 Crystal Palace
by Paul Donovan 
at the London Stadium

A CHANGE of manager it seems has made little difference to West Ham, as this lamentable defeat at home to Crystal Palace at the London Stadium proved.

Lethargic and lacking ideas from the kick off, West Ham did not muster one meaningful shot in the whole game.

On the few occasions when West Ham were in an attacking position, they immediately turned back, playing the ball meaninglessly across the pitch. Who said David Moyes style of football was boring?

Palace made hard work of winning a game that any half decent side could have coasted home easily.

Palace’s first opportunity fell to Jean-Philippe Mateta, who got away but Lukasz Fabianski saved.

The same player did not miss the second time when put away by Eberechi Eze, cutting inside Max Kilman to fire home.

West Ham’s cause was not helped, when the error prone, Konstantinos Mavropanos, was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Late in the game Fabianski brought down substitute, Eddie Nketiah, who had already been forced wide of the goal. Mateta duly converted the penalty.

The one consolation for West Ham was a promising debut from academy product, Lewis Orford, coming on for most of the second half.

West Ham head coach Graham Potter felt his side were passive and leggy. “We were unable to play with real intensity, nor sustain attacks,” said Potter, who wants to see West Ham become “more athletic and dynamic.”

Potter is seeking to improve every area of the team. “We are not where we want to be,” said Potter.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner was pleased with his side’s third win in a week.

“Today was an excellent performance — we did not give West Ham a chance to score,” said Glasner.

Potter will now be looking to get some players in before the transfer window closes. A striker is the most urgent requirement, with Jarrod Bowen, Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug all long-term absentees.