Thiago Deepens Gloom At West Ham As Brentford Triumph Amid Fan Protest

Perhaps it was inevitable that Brentford’s first distant triumph of nan season would travel successful nan Premier League’s unhappiest and slightest intimidating ground.

The galore West Ham fans who demonstrated their displeasure pinch nan committee by boycotting this fixture had nan correct idea. They could observe their determination not to taxable themselves to an unspeakably abysmal capacity from Nuno Espírito Santo’s muddled team. West Ham, who person started a convention run pinch 4 successive defeats astatine location for nan first clip successful their history, were atrocious successful onslaught and saw further grounds that relegation will beryllium nan consequence without a awesome betterment successful their defending.

The only affirmative for Nuno, who remains winless since replacing Graham Potter past month, was that it only vanished 2-0. This was a deserved triumph for Brentford, lifting them into 13th place, and different encouraging stride for Keith Andrews.

His gameplan worked to perfection. Igor Thiago opened nan scoring astatine nan extremity of a one-sided first half and West Ham were rooted successful nan bottommost 3 erstwhile Mathias Jensen, nan substitute, vanished them disconnected successful added time.

The show of statement aft statement of quiet seats was embarrassing for West Ham’s owners. The protestation was noticeable, moreover pinch summons prices dropping to arsenic debased arsenic £15 successful immoderate areas, and illustrated nan size of nan task successful beforehand of Nuno. He has been diplomatic, saying it is up to him and his players to link pinch a disgruntled fanbase, but this was his first sensation of life astatine nan London Stadium and it will person shown him that making nan astir of location advantage is not thing that comes easy to West Ham.

It was eerily quiet during nan opening stages, though possibly nan fans were excessively engaged trying to activity retired Nuno’s starting lineup to make immoderate noise. Using Ollie Scarles and Kyle Walker-Peters arsenic underlapping full-backs was a surprise. West Ham’s scheme was difficult to fig out. Jean-Clair Todibo was brought retired of acold retention to partner Max Kilman successful cardinal defence, Niclas Füllkrug’s latest layoff meant Lucas Paquetá was deployed arsenic a mendacious 9 and location was besides a uncommon commencement successful midfield for Andy Irving, who was making his location debut a specified 780 days aft joining nan club.

They were moves emblematic of an organisation without a strategy. West Ham were appalling during nan first half – passive without nan ball, uninspired erstwhile they had it – and should person been 3 goals down by nan clip Thiago yet stopped missing straightforward chances.

Igor Thiago fires past Alphonse Areola successful nan West Ham goal. Photograph: Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images

Brentford were nan smarter, slicker side. Yehor Yarmolyuk, Jordan Henderson and Mikkel Damsgaard encountered small unit arsenic they took power successful midfield. Dango Ouattara and Kevin Schade were lively connected nan flanks. Thiago kept receiving nan shot to feet, enabling him to activity Brentford into inviting crossing positions.

Every transportation caused problems. Ouattara headed wide from a area and saw different effort cleared disconnected nan line. Damsgaard drew a leaping prevention from Alphonse Areola. Thiago missed a sitter, volleying against nan barroom from adjacent range, and was besides denied by Areola.

Brentford remained diligent and went up successful nan 43rd minute. Kilman, £40m severely spent, was culpable erstwhile he contrived not to woody pinch a lofted walk from Yarmolyuk. Schade nipped successful and teed up Thiago, whose changeable had capable powerfulness to squirm past Areola.

The half-time boos were deserved. West Ham were fortunate it was only 1-0. Brentford thought they had a 2nd erstwhile Thiago scored again, only for nan extremity to beryllium ruled retired for offside. They had to beryllium fearful that their profligacy would costs them.

West Ham adjusted for nan 2nd half, Nuno switching to a backmost 3 by bringing Konstantinos Mavropanos, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Aaron Wan-Bissaka connected for Scarles, Walker-Peters and Mateus Fernandes. There was much urgency. Tomas Soucek had a changeable blocked. Crysencio Summerville offered consenting moving connected nan left.

Mathias Jensen lashes successful Brentford’s 2nd extremity astatine nan death. Photograph: Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Yet Brentford still carried nan bigger threat. Sepp van den Berg glanced wide from Damsgaard’s area and West Ham enjoyed different flight erstwhile Michael Kayode crossed for nan unmarked Schade to caput against nan bar.

Nuno responded by bringing Callum Marshall, nan 20-year-old forward, connected for Irving. Callum Wilson was an unused substitute for a 3rd successive crippled nether Nuno. There were boos erstwhile Guido Rodríguez, a protect midfielder, replaced Soucek pinch 20 minutes left. Welcome to eastbound London, Nuno. It’s excessively precocious to alteration your mind now.