WEST HAM secured a thrilling 3-2 victory against Chelsea that could prove invaluable in their effort to beat relegation (July 1). For Lampard, this was a major blow to his team’s pursuit of a top four finish, especially after their excellent result against Manchester City last week.

Chelsea began this game the more assertive team, with Marcos Alonso and César Azpilicueta finding space high up the pitch to run though their repertoire of crosses.

West Ham pressed selectively. At times they sat deep and invited Chlesea pressure, with Michail Antonio providing an ever-willing release, and at others they harried high up the pitch, forcing Kepa Arrizabalaga to kick long.  

Contentious

Moments after the first half drinks break, the home side thought they’d scored their first goal since football returned, only to be denied by a contentious VAR decision. Antonio was deemed to be interfering with play after centre half Tomáš Souček scrambled the ball in at the back post.

Taking full advantage of their reprieve, Chelsea won a penalty soon after when Issa Diop felled Christian Pulisic inside the box, the American winger continuing his fine run of form. Willian converted from the spot and West Ham looked set to enter half time feeling justifiably aggrieved after a spirited first half performance with little possession.  

Moments before the whistle however, the home team found a leveller. Chelsea failed to heed the warning from West Ham’s disallowed goal, allowing Souček too much space from another corner to bury his header at the far post. 

With little over five minutes played in the second half, West Ham went ahead following some sharp build-up play from Declan Rice. The lively Jarrod Bowen found space on the edge of the box, firing in a low cross that Antonio tucked away unmarked.

Urging

Lampard responded immediately, replacing Mateo Kovacic with Mason Mount and urging his side to move the ball quicker.

Pulisic answered the call, tearing away from West Ham’s midfield only to be brought down by Rice some 25 yards out. Willian stepped up, and with deft precision crashed his free kick in off the post to bring the visitors level. 

With less than five minutes remaining and Chelsea pressing for a winner that would maintain the four point buffer between them and Manchester United in fifth, the ball broke to Antonio just within his own half.

Holding the ball up brilliantly, as he had all game, the forward played a quick return with Pablo Fornals before angling a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Andriy Yarmolenko, who had replaced Bowen ten minutes previously. 

With acres of turf to charge into, the Ukranian winger looked destined to finish as soon as he cut inside on his favoured left foot, drilling the ball into the bottom corner with little fuss.

For the Hammers, victory brings them three points clear of relegation but for Chelsea the result serves as something of a reality check for a team with lofty ambitions. 

Terms

“We dominated the game in terms of possession, but make mistakes and teams will hurt you,” said Frank Lampard after the game. “I’m not happy with any of the goals. You don’t get given victories for scoring two goals, you have to be better than that.”

West Ham boss David Moyes on the other hand, was full of praise for his striker Antonio, who led the line superbly. “We need him so much. Without Sebastian Haller at the minute as well, it limits us a little bit to how we would play and what we can change, but he [Antonio] gives us a great out.”

“We’ve had a really difficult opening start. We’ve been prepared and we’ve been ready for it and the results didn’t show that but I thought tonight we did. ”

“We’ve got better in all the games to be fair and I still said to them I think there’s much more improvement.”

“They’re all contributing, they’re all in it together and we’re going to have to win a few more games before the end of the season.”