West Ham analysis: Manuel Pellegrini's vision taking shape as Hammers find some much-needed resilience

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Jack Rosser @JackRosser_23 September 2018

West Ham earned their first home point of the season with a hard-fought draw against Chelsea.

After a woeful start to their campaign the Hammers have built on last week's superb with at Everton by halting Maurizio Sarri's winning start to Premier League life.

With home matches against Manchester United and Tottenham coming in October, the signs are positive for Manuel Pellegrini's improving side.

Jack Rosser was pitch-side at the London Stadium to provide analysis for Standard Sport.

AFP/Getty Images

System coming through

West Ham spent most of Sunday afternoon on the back foot, as is to be expected when a side with five wins from five rock up at your doorstep.

However, when they did get there chance on the ball, Manuel Pellegrini’s mark began to shine through.

There were few occasions when the ball was simply hooked high and long in the vague hope of someone in claret finding their way to it.

After performing well at Goodison Park the midfield three of Declan Rice, Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang impressed once more in far tougher conditions than on Merseyside, and were vital in maintaining their manager’s mantra.

The formula was clear and consistent throughout, something which will please Pellegrini more than anything.

Resilience will go a long way

Defensive concerns have long lingered here in east London and while it took a bit of luck at times, with Lukasz Fabianksi taking one to the face from Alvaro Morata, the fact that the Hammers held onto their first clean sheet of the season will come as a huge relief to Pellegrini.

After looking shaky and nervous in their opening weeks in the Premier League, both Fabian Balbuena and Issa Diop seem to be forming a good partnership, something not seen here at London Stadium for some time.

The addition of Rice to the midfield goes a long way towards that, too. The 19-year-old, anchoring the three, didn’t miss a beat when it came to dropping in and covering for those behind him when needed, before stepping up onto the front foot when possession allowed.

Getty Images

Antonio misses his chance

With Pellegrini unwilling to risk the fitness of Marko Arnautovic, the chance was handed to Michail Antonio to prove he’s getting back to his best after a frustrating, injury riddled, two years.

The former Nottingham Forest man was given the nod ahead of summer signing Lucas Perez to lead the line in Arnautovic’s absence, but failed to take his chance.

With the visitors on top West Ham found space for a rare first-half break as Felipe Anderson did well to round Cesar Azpilicueta before laying it through to Antonio, who could not find his feet and ballooned his effort high and wide.

Moments later, however, he was handed a shot at redemption when Andriy Yarmolenko skipped by David Luiz before the ball fell to Antonio six yards out, his powerful jab at the near-post was swatted away by Kepa.

Neither chance was clear cut but both were perhaps goals that a forward with a run of games under their belt would have tucked away and could well have been the difference in east London.

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