
Which means we’re done here. Thanks all for your company and comments, sorry I couldn’t use them all; enjoy the rest of the weekend. Ta-ra!
20 Aug 202314.06 EDTAnd here’s Jacob Steinberg’s match report.
Antonio says West Ham didn’t start well last season and wanted to change that this. They won “the European Cup, he says, but were still disappointed with how the league went.
On today, he talks about how hard the game was and how hard he and the team had to work. At half-time, Moyes showed them how to shut down the pockets into which Chelsea were getting out, allowing them to win the ball higher up. And his goal came, he explains, from spotting Sanchez taking a step one way, which prompted him to drill a finish the other. He only got five league goals last season, has one already this, and hopes to keep at it from here.
Updated at 14.05 EDT20 Aug 202313.59 EDTCaicedo’s disaster will take attention away from Enzo’s missed penalty, but that was probably the game’s turning point. He scores and Chelsea may well go onto win; that he took it shows us his team lack a killer, because no serious centre-forward is allowing a free goal to go to a midfielder.
20 Aug 202313.57 EDTIt’s worth noting that Chelsea’s second-half drop-off followed Chukwuemeka’s departure. He had a really good 45, showing for the ball, holding onto it and using it intelligently, so Pochettino will hope he’s not out for too long. If he is, Gallagher might get a chance to play a more attacking role, which suits him nicely.
20 Aug 202313.54 EDTJamie Redknapp notes that the pass Ward-Prowse sent into Antonio is not one Declan Rice has in his locker. That’s a fair point, and one I imagine Rice would accept; hitting telling passes is the area in which he most needs to improve.
20 Aug 202313.49 EDTWard-Prowse tells Sky he had a “dream debut” and notes the energy from the crowd in the closing stages. He knows he’s been signed partly for his dead-ball delivery and they worked on it in the week, but it’s different in an empty ground. He feels the atmosphere rising when they get a set-piece and tries to hit an area, but you need players attacking the ball too and there’s belief in the team that they can score from those situations.
Against a good team, West Ham know they’ll “have to suffer” at points, and asked about his pass into Antonio, he says he knows how good his mate is at taking down balls that aren’t all that.
Asked about last season, he doesn’t want to speak to much about it because he wasn’t there but he knows things weren’t great and the team saved itself by winning the Conference League. Then he departs, and already looks a terrific signing.
20 Aug 202313.42 EDT“Definite ‘your nan bought you this back from Benidorm because you like football’ vibes to Chelsea’s kit this season,” reckons Stephen Carr.
I quite like the simplicity, but the round neck is a bit odd.
20 Aug 202313.40 EDTApropos of which, here’s Gary Pallister’s Man United debut. He turned out to be alright.
Chelsea, meanwhile, showed enough to suggest they can have a decent season. I’m not sure how they solve their firepower issue, but once Caicedo settles – and despite his mess here, he well – they shouldn’t need more than one or two goals to win most games.
20 Aug 202313.37 EDTWhat a result and performance that is for West Ham, and exactly what they needed to restore the Conference League buzz. They were physical, solid, menacing at set-pieces and when they needed serious quality, Ward-Prowse and Antonio supplied it
20 Aug 202313.35 EDTFULL-TIME: West Ham United 3-1 Chelsea
Paqueta collapses to the ground – it’s been quite a week for him – while Caicedo goes to ground too, finding equilibrium and perspective via prayer. But when he gets up, his new team have still been gubbed by bitter rivals.
Updated at 13.35 EDT20 Aug 202313.34 EDT90+6 min West Ham have been really good second half, and Paqueta, who looked destined to leave just a week or two ago, celebrates with the Hammers sign.
20 Aug 202313.33 EDTGOAL! West Ham United 3-1 Chelsea (Paqueta pen 90+5)
Paqueta stops, stutters, eyeballs the keeper … and as he goes left, sweeps right! Game over!
PENALTY TO WEST HAM!
90+4 min This is a nightmare for Caicedo! Emerson plays a one-two off Paqueta, whose backheeled return is lovely, then moves across the most expensive player in British football history … who can’t help but stretch out a lazy leg over which the Brazilian duly tumbles!
Updated at 14.01 EDT20 Aug 202313.30 EDT90+2 min Now it’s Chelsea on the attack! This has been a breathless game, Madueke taking the ball out on the right and gliding inside before shooting – again towards the near-post corner, Soucek making things difficult for his keeper by sticking out a leg. And the deflection he imparts makes things tricky, but Areola plunges left to shovel away.
20 Aug 202313.28 EDT90+1 min Poor from Fornals, who gives away to Caicedo, but poorer from Caicedol who gives away to Fornals, and suddenly he’s got a run at Silva! He weaves into the box, leaning inside before dragging a shot outside towards the near-post corner … and Sanchez does really well to scramble away.
20 Aug 202313.27 EDT90 min We’ll have six added minutes.
20 Aug 202313.27 EDT90 min Disasi looks a little impetuous, and when Bowen gets a run on him, rather than see him into touch, he instead slams him over, allowing West Ham to consume more of however much time is left.
20 Aug 202313.26 EDT89 min West Ham have done really well since going down to 10. Chelsea have had plenty of the ball but very few opportunities, and I don’t think they’re due that much added time.
20 Aug 202313.25 EDT87 min “I hope that’s not the last we’ll see of Antonio,” returns Kári Tulinius. “Of all the Premier League players who’ve left for the Saudi league or are rumoured to be leaving, he’s the one I’d miss most. There aren’t many around who have his creativity of movement. This little moment in the FA Cup against Derby County is Bergkampesque.”
20 Aug 202313.23 EDT85 min Sterling does really well to isolate Paqueta, rinsing him on the outside before standing up another cross onto which Mudryk arrives. He’s plenty of time to watch the flight of the ball, arranging his body to cushion and side-footer into the far side-netting … only to slice a miserable effort wide and plenty. It’s just not working for him at the moment.
20 Aug 202313.21 EDT84 min Sterling’s been almost silent this half, but he dashes down the outside of Alvarez and Emerson, standing up a cross … that Ogbonna heads away.
20 Aug 202313.20 EDT83 min Now a change for Chelsea, the youngster Mason Burstow replacing Gusto; immediately, a Madueke corner yields another from the opposite side, and Mudryk’s effort is cleared.
20 Aug 202313.18 EDT81 min Change for West Ham, Alvarez for Ward-Prowse who, with two assists, has shown exactly why Moyes bought him.
20 Aug 202313.18 EDT80 min Again, Gusto crosses from the right, and Zouma’s header clear falls to Colwill on the edge … but he can only shoot wide.
20 Aug 202313.17 EDT79 min Chelsea work it out to Gusto on the right and his low cross is a good one, zipping down the corridor with no on there to attack it. So West Ham counter, Fornals sweeping a fine pass into Bowen, who feels Disai up his rear so knows he can turn away, eventually exchanging passes with Fornals prior to shooting from 20 yards, Sanchez fumbling before grabbing.
20 Aug 202313.15 EDT78 min No, he goes square to Caicedo on the edge and that’s the end of that.
20 Aug 202313.14 EDT78 min Mudryk has again done a lot of nothing, but he draws a foul from Coufal out on the left that allows Fernandez to swerve in another free-kick…
20 Aug 202313.13 EDT76 min Another change for West Ham, Fornals replacing Antonio, who’s been excellent second half. I’m not sure I understand this change because he’s an excellent out-ball whether holding up or on the chase; if he’s knackered, send on Ings or Mubama, er, “for me”.
20 Aug 202313.12 EDT75 min Change for Chelsea, Madueke on for Gallagher – who must know his starting berth could well be pilfered by Caicedo – though he may be saved by Chukwuemeka’s iniury.
20 Aug 202313.11 EDT74 min Disasi is the spare man in this latest attack, pumping a cross beyond the back post and behind.
20 Aug 202313.10 EDT73 min “Your clip of the 85-86 game,” emails Richard Gibbs. “The pitch reminded me of my playing days at Hackney Marshes! and also, why was Rougvie booked? He was giving Strachan, teammate in ‘83 when Aberdeen beat Real Madrid, a wee hug!”
Goodness me Rougvie v Strachan is a mismatch if ever there was one. And on the topic of Aberdeen, the BBC’s 1983 doc is worth your time.
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