A renewed ability to perform the basics carried West Ham to their first away win since August, their blend of physicality and straightforward competence heightening the impression they will do just about enough to stay up. Yet even in victory it was hard not to think that David Moyes has already lost in the court of public opinion.
This should have been a moment for West Ham to celebrate moving three points clear of the bottom three thanks to a solid, committed performance. Performing even the simplest of defensive tasks had proved beyond them during their 5-1 defeat by Newcastle last Wednesday, but this was better. West Ham were deserved winners over a muted Fulham, Harrison Reed’s own goal condemning Marco Silva’s side to a fifth consecutive defeat, and can respond to any criticism of their pragmatism by arguing that it ensured they locked down the points at a tetchy Craven Cottage.
Ultimately, though, the moment that lingered in the memory was the travelling fans turning mutinous on the hour. There was an eruption of displeasure when Danny Ings made way for Flynn Downes – bringing on a midfielder for a striker was seen as unnecessary caution, a familiar complaint this season – and although Moyes has kept himself in a job for now the suspicion remains that West Ham are merely biding their time before changing tack in the summer.
How could it be any other way when one fan was still holding up a “Moyes out” banner at the conclusion of this hard-earned win? Moyes, who had to walk past it as he headed towards the tunnel, seemed bemused. “You have to grind results out,” West Ham’s manager said. “The decisions we made and when we made them all worked really well.”
Moyes made five changes and had an uncomplicated plan: experience at the back, none of the summer signings starting, a compact 4-4-2 system and, for the first time this season, two up front.
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It was a return to the tried and trusted from Moyes, who brought the old guard back in defence, Vladimir Coufal, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell coming in for Thilo Kehrer, Nayef Aguerd and Emerson Palmieri. It was enough to flummox Fulham.
West Ham set their stall out straight away, flinging in the crosses, Tomas Soucek pushing up from midfield to make a nuisance of himself, and were not shy to put their foot through the ball. Coufal and Kurt Zouma, the only defender to keep his place from the Newcastle game, would both look for row Z during the early stages and the visitors were content to muster only 23% of the possession.
There was a logic to West Ham hitting long balls towards Michail Antonio and Ings. On a slick surface several players lost their footing and Fulham, who were lightweight with Carlos Vinícius up front instead of the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic, lacked a punch. “We have almost 80% of possession but it is not important if you do not create,” Silva said. “Our first half was so static.”
The key moment arrived in the 23rd minute. Impetus came from Coufal, who was fortunate not to be penalised for handball when he battled for possession with Antonee Robinson, and with Tim Ream failing to clear the right-back’s cross. Jarrod Bowen had space to wriggle to the byline and Reed diverted the winger’s cutback past Bernd Leno.
Fulham tried to respond, Robinson shooting inches over, but Declan Rice was dominant against João Palhinha in midfield. West Ham looked likelier to score next, Ings testing Leno after linking with Bowen at the start of the second half.
But a flurry of pressure from Fulham, who are drifting in mid-table, caused Moyes to pull back. Saïd Benrahma replaced Pablo Fornals and there were boos and chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing” when Ings made way for Downes.
“I thought Palhinha was getting too much of the game,” Moyes explained, but the substitution risked handing the initiative to Fulham. Openings appeared, Tosin Adarabioyo heading over, Lukasz Fabianski flying off his line to thwart Andreas Pereira. West Ham, who saw another of their substitutes, Maxwel Cornet, waste a golden chance in added time, had some complicated emotions to work out at full time.
