West Ham 3 Chelsea 1
The Hammers welcomed big-spending Chelsea to the London Stadium as David Moyes went up against a manager who he has yet to beat in their five previous encounters. Todd Boehly has been spending money like it is the film Brewster’s Millions since taking over the club in May 2022, like ‘Financial Fair Play’ is just some fictional thing parents tell kids to make them behave as they should.
After the sale of Declan Rice for £105m, West Ham have begun their own rebuild, adding Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse to the squad. With European football to add to their domestic calendar, the club will want to add more depth before the transfer window closes.
The latter took his first corner in West Ham colours early on in the game and it almost led to a goal as Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez managed to punch clear as Kurt Zouma headed it towards goal. Hammers’ fans did not have to wait long for his second, they were like buses, but this time he found the head of Nayef Aguerd, who towered above Conor Gallagher and headed home to give David Moyes’ side the lead.
Pochettino’s side dominated possession throughout the game, but you would expect nothing else, that has never been a trait of a David Moyes side. The Blues thought they should have had a penalty when Jackson rounded the keeper and was brought down but the assistant referee immediately raised his flag. A VAR review agreed with the decision, much to the frustration of the away fans.
Credit: @WestHam
Chilwell, playing in a more attacking position, put in a great delivery into the box but Jackson could not keep his header down. Didier Drogba he is not. As The Hammers failed to clear the ball, Carney Chukwuemeka picked it up in the box, dropped his shoulder to get onto his right foot and thundered a shot into the back of the net. Some finish by the young midfielder.
West Ham went close to regaining the lead when Paqueta got a shot away from the edge of the box but his effort went narrowly wide of the post with Sanchez scrambling.
Raheem Sterling put in a performance that we have not seen from him since his Man City days and was a constant thorn in the side of the hosts. As he went on another mazy run into the penalty area, Soucek chopped him down to give away a penalty.
Enzo Fernandez was not asked to take a penalty for Argentina in any of their shootouts in the World Cup in Qatar. It seems there was method in the madness. He stepped up to take the kick, with a little shuffle in his run up like a cat getting ready to pounce and Areola saved his penalty.
Chelsea were dealt a blow in the end of the first half when their goalscorer seemed to injure his knee and did not come out for the second half. Another player to try and cram into an already brimming treatment room in West London.
Ward-Prowse picked up the ball in his own half after a loose pass from Disasi, immediately spotting Antonio and picking him out. He held off Fernandez and headed towards goal, had a look up, then drilled a shot from outside the box through the legs of Disasi and into the Chelsea net.
Credit: @WestHam
Pochettino then decided it was time to introduce the British record transfer signing, Moises Caicedo. His first introduction to the game was when he picked up a poor clearance from the hosts, took one touch and volleyed an effort well wide of the target.
The ball was played into Nicolas Jackson, miles away from the goal, but Nayef Aguerd took it upon himself to lunge into the challenge. He got nowhere near the ball and chopped down the Chelsea striker and was shown his second yellow card, followed by a red, as West Ham went down to ten men.
Chelsea were coming forward in waves by this stage. Madueke found Gusto but as his cross was headed clear, Colwill struck from the edge of the box with his shot going narrowly wide. Pochettino did not look like a man with America’s black-ops budget at his disposal on the bench.
As West Ham came forward on a rare counter-attack, Caicedo gifted the ball to Fornals who ran through on goal but his shot was saved well by Sanchez to prevent the final nail in Chelsea’s coffin. They went straight up the other end and a deflected Madueke shot was brilliantly tipped around the post by Areola.
Former Chelsea defender Emerson got forward and played a neat one-two before running into the box where he was chopped down by Caicedo. Penalty. Maybe £115m does get you what it used to in this world.
Paqueta stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way, stroking the ball into the back of the net to seal West Ham’s first win of the Premier League season. In turn, he inflicted Pochettino’s first defeat as Chelsea manager.
It was a gritty performance by The Hammers under immense pressure at times, but it was certainly a debut to forget for Moises Caicedo, doing more for the West Ham cause than he did for Chelsea. He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy. James Ward-Prowse however, has become an instant Hammers' hit as his two assists led to victory over their London rivals.
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