The Media Review: West Ham United

As so often, Albion’s victory on Saturday – by their biggest margin in the Premier League this season - took a back seat in a number of reports in the Sunday papers to the plight of the team beaten by Roberto De Zerbi’s men.

But although West Ham United’s woes led most intros, none of the visitors to the Amex press box could ignore the panache with which the Seagulls put David Moyes’ side to the sword in a 4-0 win.

In The Sunday Telegraph, for example, John Aizlewood wrote that “as abject West Ham United – outclassed in every area of the field by a sometimes dazzling Brighton & Hove Albion – trudged off the field, the few away supporters remaining hurled vitriol at those players who dared to thank them.

“Four-nil last week. Same again this week. In scoreline, if nothing else, West Ham are consistent. After comfortably disposing of Nottingham Forest last week, they were annihilated by Brighton this week.

“West Ham were fairly comfortable until Ben Johnson, whose afternoon had not yet reached its nadir, allowed Solly March’s crossfield pass to sail over him. As head coach Roberto De Zerbi, serving a one-game touchline ban, looked on from the stands, Kaoru Mitoma collected and charged into the area. Jarrod Bowen bundled him over. Alexis Mac Allister thrashed the penalty past Alphonse Areola.

“Starting ahead of Robert Sanchez, Jason Steele calmed whatever nerves he had with fine saves with his foot from Bowen and Tomas Soucek, but West Ham struggled to match Brighton in midfield, where Moises Caicedo – who signed a four-year deal on Friday – Pascal Gross and Mac Allister were defensively and offensively imperious, while Mitoma always had too much for Johnson on Brighton’s left.”

In The Sunday Times, Alyson Rudd wrote that “this is about as one-sided as it gets in the Premier League.  Admittedly, Brighton & Hove Albion have been busy embarrassing all manner of clubs this season. The visiting side simply appeared shell-shocked, as if the movement, ebullience and hard work of Brighton had not been visible in their preparatory videos.

“Moyes cut a disconsolate figure. Where his team should have been eager, they were disconsolate and sullen. By contrast Brighton were light-footed, alert, exuberant. Alexis Mac Allister even attempted a back heel shot, which was cleared by Nayef Aguerd. From the ensuing corner, the Argentina international flicked on the ball to Joel Veltman who, unmarked, chested the ball past Alphonse Areola to double the home side’s lead.

“West Ham could consider themselves fortunate that the scoreline was not more emphatic.”

In The Observer, regular Amex visitor Ed Aarons focused on a piece of De Zerbi-ball, writing that “barely five minutes of the second half had elapsed when David Moyes must have realised it was not going to be his day. With West Ham trailing to a penalty from Alexis Mac Allister – his first Premier League goal since winning the World Cup with Argentina – the visitors came close to stealing possession in the Brighton penalty area as they pressed for an equaliser.

“In a matter of seconds, the ball was down the other end after a succession of quick passes allowed Brighton to break the press, with Joël Veltman touching home the resulting corner from Mac Allister’s flick on to double his side’s lead.

“Further goals from Kaoru Mitoma and the substitute Danny Welbeck meant Brighton made it 12 matches unbeaten against West Ham in the top flight to seriously strengthen their hopes of European qualification for next season.

“Roberto De Zerbi entrusted assistants Andrea Maldera and Enrico Venturelli – fluent in Italian, English, Russian and Spanish – with filling his shoes on the touchline as he served a one-match ban. The Italian had shrugged off the importance of being forced to watch on from the stands because ‘the players know very well what they have to do’ and Brighton certainly did not let him down with a committed performance that showed the chasm in class between the two sides.

“It was Mac Allister who pulled the strings as one effort flew just over the bar before a quick break downfield ended with his back heel being diverted behind for a corner.

“Then, to Moyes’s clear dismay, somehow it was the diminutive No 10 who jumped highest to flick on Pascal Gross’s corner for Veltman to apply the simplest of finishes with his chest.”

In The Mail on Sunday, Kathryn Batte contrasted the gloom around East London with “hope and happiness on the south coast. A first half penalty from Alexis Mac Allister and second half goals from Joel Veltman and Karou Mitoma and Danny Welbeck put Brighton three points behind fifth-placed Newcastle.

“Seagulls boss Roberto De Zerbi was serving a one-match touchline ban for the comments he had made to referee Darren England in the tunnel and his criticism of English match-officials after his side’s 1-0 defeat by Fulham. The energetic manager was not able to bounce up and down the touchline as he usually does but his side’s performance made for excellent viewing from start to finish.

“West Ham had Areola to thank for keeping the score at 2-0 when he made a smart save to deny Evan Ferguson at the near post.

“But there was nothing Areola could do to prevent Mitoma making it 3-0 in the 69th minute. The excellent March laid the ball off to Pascal Gross and his cross was met by Mitoma, who slid in to finish at the back-post.

“Areola was the only West Ham player to come away from this game with any credit as the goalkeeper made a fantastic one-handed save to tip Julio Enciso’s shot onto the crossbar.

“But he was beaten again in the 89th minute as substitute Welbeck was given time and space to fire a low shot into the bottom right corner.

“These two clubs could not be further apart, both on the pitch and off the pitch. West Ham have enjoyed two seasons battling for Europe but now they are fighting for their Premier League survival.”

In The Sun on Sunday, Jordan Davies wrote that “another trip to the seaside ends in tears for West Ham and David Moyes. And they may as well pick up several bucket and spades on their back to the capital – to dig themselves out of this deep, deep relegation mess they find themselves in.

“Before a ball was kicked, the east Londoners had the unwanted record of never beating Brighton in the Premier League in 11 attempts. Make that a miserable 12.

“Alexis Mac Allister netted an 18th-minute penalty before teeing up Joel Veltman from a corner just after the break. Kaoru Mitoma added a deserved third in the 69th minute and Danny Welbeck finished it off in the 89th minute as the visitors were ripped to shreds.

“Jarrod Bowen gave away the spot-kick, but Ben Johnson was to blame for the first three goals and endured a torrid time at right back against a young, vibrant Brighton attack.

“Yet even with current boss Roberto De Zerbi serving his one-match touchline ban up in the stands, Brighton will not experience a more comfortable home outing all campaign.

“The Seagulls are back to winning ways after a minor blip, and back to dreaming of hosting European nights at the Amex Stadium, just three points behind fifth-placed Newcastle with a game in hand.

“West Ham meanwhile should enjoy their European Conference League knock-out run – starting next week – while they can, because they are nowhere near the levels of previous years under Moyes, perched just outside the bottom three.

“There was a shock in between the Brighton sticks however, as Jason Steele, 32, was chosen over Robert Sanchez for just his second Prem start – and first since 2021.

“It is safe to say Steele could have propped up a deck chair on the beach for most of this one – while Areola was called into action early on as Solly March waltzed through a non-existent West Ham back four.”

If West Ham hoped for a more sympathetic press closer to home, they would have been disappointed. In the capital’s Evening Standard, Malik Ouzia wrote that “it is a good job West Ham have a midweek trip to sunny Cyprus to look forward to, because this was a day as grey as they come on the south coast.

“A dozen times West Ham have played Brighton in the Premier League and still they are yet to win, six trips here to the Amex having delivered two draws and, now, four defeats. None, though, have been as damaging as this.

“Moises Caicedo, who signed a new long-term contract on Friday, outshone Declan Rice in the middle of the park, while Solly March and Mitoma wreaked havoc from out wide. World Cup winner Mac Allister waltzed through the game while nominal rival Lucas Paqueta barely had a kick. Danny Ings, after his double against Nottingham Forest a week ago, was even quieter.”

Finally, some appreciation for Steve Blowers of West Ham’s local paper, The Newham Recorder. It cannot have been much fun reporting on The Irons this season, but Steve came up with a splendidly alliterative intro to his report.

“Wobbling, woeful West Ham United suffered a forlorn four-goal defeat on a sorry Saturday on the Sussex Coast, where they continued their wretched record of never having beaten Brighton in their previous 12 Premier League matches,” he resoundingly wrote.

“With FIFA 2022 World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister giving Roberto De Zerbi’s side an interval lead with a 18th-minute penalty, the Hammers then dismally disintegrated after the break as early replacement Joel Veltman, Kaoru Mitoma and late substitute Danny Welbeck netted the goals that also leave the Hammers without a clean sheet against the Seagulls in those dismal dozen encounters.”