West Ham’s disastrous season continued as a devastatingly bad first 15 minutes proved critical in a 2-1 defeat to Leeds at Elland Road.
After a poor 2-0 loss at home to Brentford on Monday, Nuno Espirito Santo called for an improved performance in terms of effort. But not even West Ham’s fiercest rivals could have scripted such a bad start.
The goals came from West Ham’s usual deficiencies: crosses and corners. In Leeds’ first attack after three minutes, Brenden Aaronson tapped home from close range as the hosts won two penalty-box duels in the air.
Then from Leeds’ first corner of the game, Joe Rodon strutted past Lucas Paqueta and beat both Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman in the air to nod home. It was the ninth goal West Ham have conceded from a corner this season, which has only lasted nine games so far.
Joe Rodon put Leeds 2-0 up inside the first 15 minutes
Nuno could not believe his eyes and brought on Callum Wilson after 20 minutes for the injured Ollie Scarles, who was beaten far too easily for the first goal and was coming off anyway before his injury.
West Ham improved after that with an actual striker on the pitch, with Paqueta seeing a goal disallowed for a tight offside. But the Hammers were still booed off by their own fans at the break as they trudged down the tunnel situated right next to the away end.
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The West Ham fans made their feelings very clear at half-time at Elland Road, as the Hammers were 2-0 down going into the break
Leeds had the better chances of the second period too, with Aaronson striking the crossbar with West Ham cut open far too easily from another counter-attack.
But when all hope was petering away, Mateus Fernandes scored his first Hammers goal – flicking on Jarrod Bowen’s effort with his head – to set up a nervy finish ahead of four minutes added on. However, it was too little, too late.
The result moves Daniel Farke’s side six points clear of the drop zone ahead of the weekend fixtures.
But for Nuno’s West Ham, who have made their joint-worst start to a league season in terms of points, they remain second bottom and if Wolves beat Burnley on Saturday, the Hammers will drop to the foot of the Premier League table.
WATCH: West Ham’s disastrous start as two goals fly in!
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Brenden Aaronson put Leeds ahead after three minutes
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Rodon made it 2-0 inside the first 15 minutes
‘West Ham just didn’t turn up’
Former West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green on Friday Night Football:
“Where do we start? It was just a repeat from Monday night from the start. A shape we didn’t understand, inverted full-backs on the wrong side. It didn’t work on Monday and they went out and did the same, and it cost them for the goals.
“Again, they could have been four down at half-time. They just didn’t turn up.
“I don’t know how you could make five substitutions and have a better XI and a better shape than what you started the game with.
“Nothing makes sense. There’s no joined-up thinking. The mistakes. You can go on and on.
“They didn’t play well and they had chances. This isn’t a good Leeds team in terms of the Premier League. Leeds didn’t have to work hard for their chances.
“West Ham didn’t play well and got some chances. You’re looking at it and saying just turn up, perform the basics, get the fundamentals right and you’ll give yourself a chance. They’re not doing that right now.”
Nuno: These kind of mistakes are unacceptable
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Nuno Espirito Santo says his West Ham side did not deal with many situations and they must change after making many unacceptable mistakes
West Ham head coach Nuno Espirito Santo to Sky Sports:
“A simple explanation: we didn’t deal with the problems. We didn’t deal with the things in our box, the set-pieces, we didn’t deal with the second balls. We didn’t deal with many things.
“It’s realising we have to work harder and commit ourselves. We have to be much better. We will do it. I feel the players want to. The players are willing to do things. But there are many switch-off moments that are punishing us.
“We are doing this. We are doing the way we approach the meetings. But it’s not happening.”
On bringing Wilson on after 20 minutes: “It was not working out. We had to make a change. We were not dealing with our defensive situations. We felt we needed a striker to hold the ball. The situation wasn’t the greatest, that’s on me.
“But then comes everything that has to be with individuals. It’s unacceptable in the Premier League, these kind of mistakes.
“The second half was good and much better. It was not enough to achieve the late goal. We played good, we played better but 45 minutes is not enough, especially when we start so bad, it’s a mountain.
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West Ham scored a late consolation goal
“We have to change. The players know, we know. Our fans know. The club knows there is still time. Time can also be a bad sign if we don’t change immediately.”
Farke: A priceless three points for us
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Daniel Farke said Leeds had a difficult week with a lack of players at training but was pleased they showed passion to grab a ‘priceless’ three points against West Ham
Leeds head coach Daniel Farke to Sky Sports:
“I’m delighted and happy with the three points. It’s difficult to explain how we were standing there after the last three games with just one point in our hands. Today we got it over the line.
“We had more dominant and controlled performances in the season but we had a difficult week with illnesses and injuries, many players were struggling, players were just back from long-term and short-term injuries. You could feel it was a difficult week.
“We showed passion and bravery in the beginning and played aggressively. We scored two goals, the structure with the ball was a bit wide today and not perfect. We corrected it at half-time, way better in the second half. We had fighting will, passion and spirit to get it over the line. The nerves began again but it was also good the confidence to bring it over the line. It was a priceless three points for us.
“We spoke about set-pieces, they have conceded a few. I don’t want to blame the opponents. we showed aggressive football and bravery to press to bring the ball as quick as possible.”
Analysis: West Ham are going down unless Nuno performs a miracle
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:
The scoreline will paint a close game, but it wasn’t. The usual problems emerged for West Ham, whose inability to defend crosses and corners struck again to give them a huge uphill task.
It’s not a question of when will West Ham learn? It’s when will West Ham give themselves a chance?
When will Nuno Espirito Santo give himself a chance too, after two incorrect line-ups against Leeds and Brentford saw him experiment with inverted full-backs playing on the wrong side and no centre forwards?
After the disastrous first 15 minutes which saw them go 2-0 down, they were lucky this is a fairly misfiring Leeds side as it could have been worse before half-time.
West Ham didn’t deserve to get back in this game. Leeds ran nearly seven more kilometres than them, creating chance after chance right through the heart of the team.
Given West Ham have been in this division for over a decade, that’s unacceptable.
There are holes in defence, holes in midfield and with Nuno reluctantly using Callum Wilson as their only recognised, fit striker, there’s a hole in attack too.
If the Hammers are playing like this against their relegation rivals, what are they going to be like against the better sides?
West Ham are heading down unless Nuno changes – along with his team. It will need a miracle at this point.
