When you are fighting for survival, it helps if the wounds are not self-inflicted. But here against a Newcastle team with little to play for beyond pride, West Ham found an enemy within. For them, there was little pride in a performance that will likely mean the club is playing in the Championship next season.
The fatal blow came from their own hand, literally. In the 65th minute, El Hadji Malick Diouf tossed a loose throw towards substitute Pablo, who looked like he’d rather still be on the bench. Midfielder Joe Willock stole on halfway, although it was hardly the heist of the century, and he and Will Osula charged upfield with very few in pursuit before the striker rolled in his second for 3-0.
Add that error to two for the first goal and too many to count for the second and you see why West Ham were the architects of their own suffering. It feels like the cuts run too deep for them to recover now.
Because of a superior goal difference, Tottenham need just one point from two matches to stay up at West Ham’s expense, and that could come as soon as Tuesday night at Chelsea. On this evidence, relegation would be correct, not cruel.
‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt,’ snarled their own fans on full-time, and again a few minutes later when some of those in claret offered applause in their direction. It should have been an apology.
West Ham were architects of their own downfall again against Newcastle, which means they are all but confirmed to be playing Championship football next season
Twenty minutes of calamity has appeared to consign the Hammers’ fate
By then, Nuno Espirito Santo had disappeared down the tunnel and, when he came to reflect, he looked and sounded as beaten as his players.
Can you stay up?
‘It’s extremely difficult now,’ he said.
That’s the spirit! Whatever happened to, ‘Lads, it’s Spurs’. After this, however, those in North London should be crowing, ‘Lads, it’s West Ham’. The worst you can throw at Nuno’s side is that they played like Tottenham have done for much of this season – no fight, no quality, no idea.
The manager has given them hope in recent months, but he got his selection wrong here and those he picked did little right, save for an improvement after going 3-0 down. Too little, too late does not come close. It felt like using singed fingertips to change the smoke-alarm battery.
‘We missed everything – fight, energy, second balls, we were late every time,’ said midfielder Mateus Fernandes, with more conviction than anything he or his team-mates had shown on the pitch.
Fernandes is a very good player, too. So is Jarrod Bowen. You expected more from West Ham, much more given their peril. It was telling that, when Nuno called for two substitutes to return from warming up at 2-0, the three of them down the touchline all pointed at each other, as if trying to work out who the lucky one would be. One of those who came on was Pablo, and two minutes later he was robbed for Newcastle’s game-clinching third.
Before a ball was kicked on Tyneside, there was an afternoon’s worth for West Ham fans to boot in hope elsewhere. The psychology of such mathematical gymnastics can be tiring, but it felt like a round of results to energise the Hammers. Leeds won, which means they should be motivated by a top-10 finish when travelling to Tottenham on the final day. Everton, who West Ham host next Sunday, lost, just about ending their European dream and with it their season. But the good news, as scant as it was, ended there.
Will Osula scored twice for a Magpies side that had little to play for but pride on Sunday
To think, there was some debate among West Ham supporters as to whether a win was absolutely necessary here, or if a draw would be enough to unnerve Tottenham. Option C, the one for Catastrophe, had been the lesser muttered eventuality. It sure was being talked about after 20 minutes of calamity, not that any of it was very funny.
Harvey Barnes will be credited with the assist for Nick Woltemade’s opening goal in the 15th minute, but West Ham goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and defender Jean-Clair Todibo were just as key to opening up the defence, albeit their own.
Hermansen, fizzing a low pass from his goalmouth, thought that he could play – Todibo forgot that he had to. The pass was poor, too much pace and too little direction, but Todibo had a choice – commit to running after it or abandon the chase and hold a recovery position. He did neither, as if experiencing an on-field glitch. Barnes pounced, ran by Todibo at ease and chipped onto the boot of Nick Woltemade, who volleyed home gratefully from six yards.
After an episode of such self-sabotage, it would be wise to consolidate for five or so minutes. But so dazed were West Ham from punching themselves in the face, Newcastle were soon playing around them for a second. It was a good goal – a series of snappy one-touch passes – but players like Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes should be able to execute those when up against mannequins. It allowed Jacob Ramsey to send Osula clear and he finished low below Hermansen. Eddie Howe’s side were playing with a confidence seen all too fleetingly at St James’ this season, and this win comes too late to salvage European football. Nonetheless, enjoy it they did.
Osula, bizarrely, celebrated by pulling a Michael Jackson glove from his sock and dancing in front of the Leazes Ends. Who knows what the meaning was behind it, but West Ham were most certainly Bad. Todibo was hooked soon after as Nuno switched to a 4-4-2 from the 3-4-2-1 that had confused supporters, observers and, clearly, his players.
The defender’s replacement, Taty Castellanos, did score, but not until the 69th minute at 3-0. It was a fantastic goal, a first-time volley from 25 yards, but it will be a footnote when it comes to reflecting on this season, even if it is the best of their campaign.
Castellanos then hit the bar with another decent blast late on, but following an afternoon of hitting themselves, it mattered not. The damage was already done, and West Ham are as good as down.
