West Ham go down despite final day victory over Leeds
West Ham's Jarrod Bowen scored what is likely to be a farewell goal in his side's victory over Leeds. Pic: Peter Tarry/PA Wire.
A HOLLOW final day victory over Leeds United could not prevent West Ham United slipping through the relegation trapdoor after their 14-year stay in the Premier League ended in a mixture of pride and acrimony.
The pride was displayed by Nuno Espirito Santo’s side whose 3-0 win was achieved by goals from Taty Castellanos and Callum Wilson, as well as a likely farewell goal from captain Jarrod Bowen.
The acrimony came in the form of chants directed late on against club owner David Sullivan against whom the West Ham fans have waged a season-long campaign.
With Tottenham beating Everton, West Ham’s 14 years in the Premier League, which has featured five European campaigns and their memorable 2023 Conference League triumph, came to an end.
Unlike before most home games this season, there were no protests against the West Ham owners, just a willingness to support their side however long the odds appeared against them staving off relegation.
Indeed, in the hours leading up to kick-off, it was hard to know that anything was amiss at all in the East End.
It was an early afternoon when everything felt right around the London Stadium. The bars were packed, bodies were glistened by the early summer sunshine, the water in the canals around Queen Elizabeth Park beckoned invitingly.
Short sleeves, sun hats, sunglasses, bare torsos, tattoos of crossed hammers, heat, glorious heat. Could anything be better?
And yet. It seems impossible that doom and gloom can invade such a scene, yet there it was in the conversations over pints of beer that were just a little more hushed than normal, just a tad more serious.
Could West Ham live up to their part of the equation? Would Everton fulfil theirs a few miles across London?
The searing heat dictated that West Ham’s pressing need for a quick start was not matched on the pitch.
Indeed, it was Leeds, who secured their own safety a few weeks ago, who looked the more dangerous in the opening half.
James Justin drove a shot across the West Ham area in the eighth minute which was skewed badly by Lukas Nmecha with the home goal gaping.
At the other end, Pablo struck a shot into the ground which flicked off the head of Tomas Soucek as it bounced up and over the bar.
Mateus Fernandes then tried his luck from 25 yards. Too far out to trouble Karl Darlow, but at least it maintained the belief of the West Ham faithful.
The clearest chance of the half arrived after 35 minutes when Nmecha tricked his way past Kyle Walker-Peters and slipped the ball inside to Dominic Calvert-Lewin with only Mads Hermansen to beat.
However, the Leeds striker who missed out on England’s World Cup squad could not force his shot under the body of the advancing Hermansen.
West Ham were beginning to be hemmed back into their own half and it needed Konstantinos Mavropanos to block another effort by Calvert-Lewin.
The home side did rouse themselves as half-time approached, firstly with a Taty Castellanos header that looped over and then a Pablo shot into the side netting, but in between came the news that most inside the London Stadium had been dreading – that of a Tottenham goal.
It was greeted largely by silence save for the enclave of Leeds fans who predictably struck up with a chorus of “You’re going down”.
The opening 90 seconds of the second half brought opportunities for both sides, firstly through a Brenden Aaronson shot for Leeds and then an even more clear-cut opening for Castellanos who lost his footing before he could squeeze the ball beyond Darlow.
That miss summed up West Ham. With every overhit cross or misplaced pass, the patience of the home faithful grew thinner.
They knew that their side were trying, but the frustration at their inability to translate desire into coherent play, chances and goals was becoming almost too much to bear.
Yet through it all, they created an atmosphere that has too often been missing at this vast bowl of a stadium with chorus after chorus of “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” being interspersed with shouts of “Irons”.
Their reward came in the 67th minute when Jarrod Bowen’s corner was headed home at the far post by Castellanos to rousing cheers, if not realistic hope. That would need to come from north London.
Bowen made the points safe, if not meaningful, ten minutes from time when he raced onto a Fernandes through ball to calmly slide his shot beyond Darlow.
The muted celebrations from the West Ham captain then triggered ill-mannered chants towards club owner David Sullivan as the home fans realised that the final day victory would be in vain.
At least the final moments of the season reverted to events on the pitch with cheers greeting Wilson’s rapier-like strike following a corner which found the far corner.
Hermansen 7; Walker-Peters 6, Mavropanos 8, Disasi 6, Diouf 7; Soucek 6, Fernandes 6; Bowen 6, Pablo 6 (Wilson 46, 6), Summerville 6; Castellanos 7 (Kante 88)
Darlow 6; Rodon 6, Bijol 6 (James 69, 6), Struijk 6; Bogle 7 (Buonanotte 78, 6), Ampadu 7, Tanaka 6 (Piroe 78, , Justin 7; Aaronson 7 (Bornauw 90+1), Nmecha 6; Calvert-Lewin 6 (Gnonto 69, 6)
Anthony Taylor
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