CHAOS at West Ham is as inevitable as death and taxes.
But when the Hammers are in trouble, you can also be pretty sure that if anyone is going to dig them out, it will be Jarrod Bowen.
Nuno Espirito Santo is the third manager appointed by West Ham in barely a year to succeed David Moyes after the Scot and his football were deemed not sexy enough for East London for a second time.
And the only constants from Moyes’ second spell at the London Stadium all the way through to now are the contribution and commitment of captain Bowen.
Sorry – another recurring feature is West Ham’s inability to defend crosses, which is what allowed Michael Keane to give Moyes’ Everton a first-half lead.
But when Nuno needed a goal, of course it was Bowen who provided it and it was the Hammers who looked the more likely to grab a winner.
So the travelling supporters who had spent part of the evening abusing club bosses had something positive to sing about.
The atmosphere for the first night game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium showed the Hammers how moving from your home of more than a century does not need to be soul-destroying.
And avoiding defeat after going behind was a decent start for the new manager.
Nuno made his first big statement as West Ham boss by leaving James Ward-Prowse out of the squad completely.
The former England international had endured a tough loan spell at Forest under Nuno before returning to East London early in the wake of Graham Potter’s appointment in February..
Ward-Prowse’s personal future looks very much in doubt.
The Hammers’ latest new start began with hints of promise, going forward at least.
Crysencio Summerville, Jarrod Bowen and Niclas Fullkrug all found themselves in promising positions without finding the final pass or shot to worry Jordan Pickford.
But the warning signs were already there at the other end when Beto was left all alone to head straight at Alphonse Areola.
And Keane punished West Ham for more poor defending minutes later.
Areola punched clear a James Garnet corner clear but when the ball was worked back to the taker, he swung in a wicked delivery.
Keane had plenty to do. But Konstantinos Mavropanos let him do it.
While Mavropanos stood off the Everton defender and headed an imaginary ball, Keane connected firmly with the real thing and sent it flying into the net.
It was the eighth goal West Ham had conceded from a corner and the seventh from a header already this season.
The visiting fans responded with X-rated chants about co-owner David Sullivan and vice-chairman Karren Brady, and a general demand to “Sack the Board”
Their team’s response was a bit more positive, as Nuno’s team dominated possession for a spell yet without creating chances.
And Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall should have made it 2-0 but sent his header from an Iliman Ndiaye cross wide.
After the break, Beto made a nuisance of himself but could not test Areola further.
And the Hammers were doing enough to suggest that a single goal would not be enough to decide the game.
They would have been level after Jake O’Brien’s headed error allowed Summerville to nip in, but Pickford made a fine save.
Moments later, Bowen confirmed the home fans’ worst fears with a trademark goal.
El Hadji Malick Diouf broke well down the left and when the ball fell to the West Ham captain on the opposite side of the penalty area, he cut inside and smashed home a left-footed shot with the help of a deflection off Keane.
The Hammers smelt blood. Bowen had another effort deflected behind before Everton recovered their composure.
West Ham pushed for a winner against their nervous hosts, but fortune was hiding. Some things never change.
Read the full article here