Do not underestimate the power of Europa League hangovers, even if David Moyes argued yesterday afternoon that West Ham have had a "great record" this season. This was their fifth defeat in the nine games to follow Thursday night action.
Two of the losses have come against Brentford and while it is fair to contextualise that record with narrow losses against Manchester United and Manchester City in addition to last month’s defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur, their points per game average is 1.11 from those nine matches, compared to 1.78 per game in the 23 Premier League fixtures not preceded by a European fixture.
With the margins in the pursuit of a top six finish so fine, a minor struggle for a small squad to deal with the Thursday-Sunday-Thursday treadmill appears potentially decisive. Moyes is right to repeatedly remind everyone that when weighing this squad up against the other top-six rivals it would be "a monumental" achievement to be in Europe against next season but another loss next weekend at home to Burnley would be grave.
Antonio woe
For top six to be sealed Michail Antonio needs to rediscover himself. The squad's only recognised striker has now gone eight games since his last goal in all competitions and 12 in the league, a competition where he last found the net on New Year’s Day. The contributions of Jarrod Bowen among others has minimsed the impact but Moyes has laid down a challenge for the Jamaica international to come good when he is most needed.
"There were signs a few weeks ago his form was coming back but he hadn't quite got the goals," Moyes said. "It's a long time. We need him to score. Let's be fair, it's not our goalscoring at the minute. Our goalscoring has been good whether they've come from Jarrod or whoever. We've been able to cover Mic's lack of goals recently. But when you get into where it really matters, the bits of quality in a season, you need your centre forwards to come up trumps with goals for you."
Maybe Antonio is short of confidence but the more likely explanation is he is simply exhausted near the end of a campaign in which he has had to lead the line alone almost entirely. The standout moment yesterday came late in the opening period when Declan Rice played a through ball forward but Antonio reacted too late and he earned a lengthy telling off from the West Ham captain, exasperated by the frontman's tardy movement.
And yet there is no prospect of him getting a rest. "We need to keep trusting in him, which we have done, keep giving every encouragement that goals will come," Moyes said.
Defensive absences
Of even greater concern for the trip to Lyon is the lack of defensive cover should Kurt Zouma not recover fast enough from the twisted right ankle that forced him off after half an hour yesterday. Aaron Cresswell is suspended, meaning Ben Johnson will likely step in at left back, and Craig Dawson is solidering on with a broken nose. Issa Diop is the only other fit centre back and looked rusty at times against Brentford. "It gives us an imbalance of people more comfortable on the left side," Moyes said of the prospect Zouma will miss out.
Benrahma return
Said Benrahma could not but smile as the home fans chanted that he “wants to come home” when the Algeria winger warmed up during the first half and the reception was notably warmer from the Brentford end than the corner of already deflted away fans when he came on with the game lost. Still, with only 45 minutes of action in his legs from Thursday, Benrahma did at least dribble forward twice with more conviction than the rest of a desperately flat attack.
West Ham's sole attempt on target came from a tame Tomas Soucek header midway through the opening period and while Moyes rued "very, very shoddy" defending this was their worst attacking showing of the campaign.
