West Ham go into half-time 1-0 up against Wolves, but let’s be honest, that scoreline flatters us a bit. For large parts of that first half, Wolves were the better side, sharper out the blocks and asking all the questions while we looked nervous and a yard off it.
The opening exchanges summed it up really. We couldn’t keep hold of the ball, gave it away in dangerous areas, and rode our luck more than once. But just when it looked like we’d limp into the break, the Hammers finished stronger — and crucially, made it count.
It was Dinos Mavropanos who made the difference, rising well to head home a pinpoint cross from Jarrod Bowen on 42 minutes. Proper smash-and-grab feel about it, but no one inside the London Stadium will care.
West Ham ride early storm before late breakthrough
Wolves came flying out early doors and our defence was immediately under pressure. Dinos Mavropanos was called into action three times in the opening couple of minutes, which tells you everything about how that half started. Axel Disasi looked overworked alongside him, while El Hadji Malick Diouf had a bit of a nightmare early on, giving the ball away in dangerous positions twice — and we were lucky not to be punished.
At the back, Mads Hermansen had a shaky moment misjudging a header that drifted wide, although he wasn’t overly tested beyond that. One of the few bright sparks early on was Kyle Walker-Peters, who stood up well when called upon.
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Further forward, it was a mixed bag. Crysencio Summerville looks rusty, which is understandable, but he gave the ball away far too easily and even handed Wolves a big chance early on. Jarrod Bowen had one of those halves — sloppy at times, even dribbling out of play under no pressure — but still popped up with the one bit of real quality when it mattered.
Mateus Fernandes has probably been our best player going forward, spraying a couple of excellent passes including a lovely chipped ball that really should have led to a goal. Up top, Valentín Castellanos and Pablo have worked hard without quite making it stick, although both had moments.
Big shout as well for Tomáš Souček, who was lucky to escape serious injury after a nasty challenge with studs showing.
The reality is we’ve been second best for spells, but we’ve got the goal — and momentum just before the break. Now it’s about tightening up, cutting out the sloppy mistakes, and seeing this one through.