PREMIER LEAGUE
London, Oct 21: West Ham lost for the fourth home match in a row in the Premier League on Monday, with late goals in both halves giving Brentford a 2-0 win that could have been much bigger had the visitors taken more of their chances.
Going into the game, West Ham had lost all three of its home games this season while Brentford had lost all three of its away games in the league, but the visitors dominated from the start at the London Stadium.
Igor Thiago and Kevin Schade both missed good opportunities to score before Thiago finally broke the deadlock two minutes before halftime.
The Hammers defense failed to deal with long ball and Schade squared to Thiago to score. Goalkeeper Alphonse Areola got a hand to his shot but could not stop it going over the line.
Some West Ham fans boycotted the game in protest at what they say is mismanagement by the club’s owners and there were more empty seats than usual at the former Olympic stadium, which became the club’s home in 2016 after moving from Upton Park.
They missed little as the home side was second best throughout against a team that had 22 shots on goal to West Ham’s seven.
Nevertheless, it took Brentford until the 94th minute to get a second goal. Another long ball flummoxed the West Ham defense and Keane Lewis-Potter cut back for Mathias Jensen to slam home.
“It probably could’ve been more,” Brentford midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard said.
“We created a lot of chances and had a lot of set pieces, but we’re happy to get the three points.” The result leaves Nuno Espirito Santos’ team in 19th place with four points from eight games and the worst goal difference in the league.
Brentford moved into 13th place with 10 points after eight games. The result at the London Stadium on Monday night has left West Ham in a precarious position, with the fourth consecutive home defeat compounding the mounting pressure on Nuno Espirito Santos and his squad. With only four points from eight games and the worst goal difference in the Premier League, the Hammers now face growing scrutiny over both on-field performances and off-field management, as fans’ ongoing boycott underscored the increasing frustration with the club’s owners. The loss also exposed deep defensive vulnerabilities, particularly in dealing with long balls and set-piece situations, which Brentford exploited ruthlessly through the clinical finishes of Igor Thiago and Mathias Jensen. For Brentford, the win not only marked their first away triumph of the season but also provided a timely boost in confidence, demonstrating their ability to dominate even against a team that had hoped to capitalize on home advantage. The Hammers’ attacking output remained sparse, with only seven shots on goal compared to Brentford’s 22, highlighting the disparity in both creativity and composure in the final third. As West Ham now look ahead to a congested fixture schedule, the task of arresting this downward spiral is urgent; they must tighten their defense, sharpen their attacking play, and reconnect with supporters whose patience is fraying, or risk being dragged further into the relegation battle. Meanwhile, Brentford will take encouragement from their collective discipline, proactive pressing, and efficient finishing, signaling that their early-season away woes may finally be behind them. The London Stadium defeat leaves West Ham at a crossroads, with questions over strategy, team morale, and ownership management looming large, while Brentford’s performance serves as a reminder that momentum in the Premier League can shift swiftly, and that even teams struggling away from home can seize opportunities against those faltering under pressure. The Hammers must now regroup quickly, or risk allowing the early-season setbacks to define what has so far been a frustrating campaign. (AP)
