West Ham 1-1 StokeHome team scorersGlenn Whelan 65 o.g.
Away team scorersBojan Krkic 75
West Ham continued to labour under the shadow cast by their new home as they lurched to a draw with a redoubtable Stoke City at the London Stadium.
Second half strikes from Michail Antonio and Bojan Krcic meant the spoils were eventually shared, but eyes were as much on the stands as on the pitch for much of the game.
This was West Ham’s first match at the Olympic Stadium since their EFL Cup encounter with Chelsea last week, a match that ended in violence between rival supporters and the arrest of seven fans. The outbursts only increased the pressure on the club to act after an early season which has been plagued by problems with stewarding and discontent amongst supporters.
After pledging to ban as many as 200 supporters from the ground for life, West Ham took further action for this game. Stronger segregation was introduced between rival fans, including barriers across a previously open concourse. There was extra stewarding inside the ground, including individuals seated amongst fans. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, police entered the stadium for the first time this season, positioning themselves behind the lower tier where trouble broke out against Chelsea.
Stewards moved into action in the 33rd minute when a chant of ‘Stand up if you love West Ham’ broke out around the ground. Supporters all the way around the lower tier stood up but stewards focussed on the fans in the previously problematic block. The same supporters had, minutes before, been singing derogatory songs about West Ham’s chairman, Karren Brady.
It was difficult to tell whether the stands had influenced the game or the other way around, but whatever the cause, there was little to get excited about on the pitch in the first half. West Ham’s closest chance came in the final seconds of injury time when Dimitri Payet sent a free kick buzzing over the bar. Hit from 25 yards out, it was a definite opportunity for the Frenchman, and that he could not quite get his aim right was indicative of his first half performance.
For their part Stoke were well-organised, resolute and happy to play the game at a slow pace. At the heart of all their play was Joe Allen, continuing his rich vein of form since his arrival at the Britannia Stadium from Liverpool in the summer. Playing in his new number 10 role he got close to Wilfried Bony, but was also an effective defensive screen when Stoke lost the ball.
The second half began in much the same fashion, a torpid tempo leading to nothing much beyond an exchange of long range shooting from first Phil Bardsley then West Ham’s defensive midfielder Pedro Obiang. But then with an hour of the match gone Slaven Bilic made a double substitution and the game suddenly sparked to life.
Off went Manuel Lanzini and Andre Ayew, who was making his return after injury, on came Edimilson Fernandes and youngster Ashley Fletcher. Immediately the home side looked to have found a bit more zip and enjoyed sustained possession on the edge of the Stoke box. From a corner Payet picked up the ball on the right hand side of the Stoke box and, creating the smallest amount of space, found room for a cross that Michail Antonio met with his reliable forehead, skewing the ball past the diving Lee Grant and in off the post.
It was the new England international’s sixth headed goal of the season, the best record in Europe’s top leagues.
Mark Hughes needed a response and went for his own double substitution, bringing on Peter Crouch and Bojan Krcic for Bony and Glenn Whelan to go 4-4-2. Again the impetus immediately shifted and Adrian did well to punch out a whipped Charlie Adam free kick. The Spaniard was not as dependable seconds later though when, in the 74th minute, Adam flighted a ball over the static West Ham back line for Jonathan Walters to chase. Adrian rushed off his line but Walters beat him to the ball before being knocked to the floor. Walters’ touch looped across the box and Bojan showed desire and ingenuity to turn it beyond his marker and into the net.
Both sides exchanged further blows and Stoke could perhaps have won it late on when Adam’s long range shot was tipped around the post by Adrian. West Ham move up to 16th with this point, but face Spurs, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool in their next four matches.
Guardian
