Hammers record memorable win over Chelsea
WHUFC.com
Cheikhou Kouyate and Edimilson Fernandes scored the goals to help West Ham record a memorable 2-1 win over Chelsea to book their place in the quarter final stage of the EFL Cup.
After back-to-back wins over Crystal Palace and Sunderland, Slaven Bilic's side came into the game brimming with confidence and it clearly showed as the players produced another superb display in front of a record League Cup attendance at London Stadium.
Kouyate got the party started when he thumped home a powerful header early in the game and Fernandes doubled the lead early in the second half with a low finish past Asmir Begovic.
Gary Cahill's injury time goal came too late for Chelsea and Slaven Bilic will be thrilled with the players fighting spirit and quality as they made it through to the last eight of the competition.
It was an all-round team display which helped the Hammers secure a memorable victory, starting with Darren Randolph who once again showed why he is rated so highly by everyone at the Club.
The Republic of Ireland keeper made a fine save on eight minutes to deny N'Golo Kante who burst clear into the West Ham box and saw his low shot produce a fine save from the Hammers keeper.
The Hammers made Chelsea pay for their missed opportunity as they opened the scoring on 11 minutes.
Chelsea failed to clear a corner from Dimitri Payet. The ball fell to Mark Noble who played in the perfect cross for Kouyate and he directed an unstoppable powerful header past Asmir Begovic into the corner of the net.
West Ham had strong claims for a penalty turned down on 15 minutes after Aaron Cresswell laid the ball into Payet and he appeared to be brought down inside the area by Kante.
But referee Craig Pawson ignored the strong pleas from the home supporters and waved for play to continue.
Randolph showed his quality once again on 20 minutes when he made a fine save to deny Nathaniel Chalobah's 25-year shot.
The game was flowing from one end to the other and Manuel Lanzini had a golden chance to double the lead on the half hour mark after Michail Antonio turned David Luiz and crossed in for the Argentine midfielder who had the goal at his mercy but he sliced his shot wide of the post.
Pedro Obiang also came close to getting his name on the scoresheet on 43 minutes when he fired a blistering shot from the edge of the box which was superbly saved by Begovic diving low to his right hand side.
The danger signs were still there for the home side and both Michy Batshuayi and Oscar had good chances to pull Chelsea level just before half-time.
But the Hammers came out determined to add a second and got their wish on 48 minutes when Fernandes continued his dream start to life in the first-team as he doubled the lead for the home side.
The Swiss U21 international cut inside and fired a left-foot shot past Begovic into the corner of the net.
The home fans inside London Stadium went crazy and could now sense this was going to be another special evening under the lights.
Skipper Mark Noble could have made it three on 53 minutes when he curled a shot inches past the post.
Chelsea could have found a way back into game on 73 minutes when Chelsea substitute Diego Costa cut the back for Willian, but he fired just wide of the post.
Bilic sent on Andre Ayew in the final stages of the game and the Club record signing almost made an immediate impact on 82 minutes when he was picked out by Payet inside the box and headed the ball just wide of the post.
Cahill bundled the ball over the line and pulled back a consolation goal in injury time, but it was all in vein as the Hammers held on for a memorable victory.
West Ham: Randolph, Kouyate, Reid, Ogbonna, Fernandes (Feghouli 65), Noble, Obiang, Cresswell, Payet, Lanzini (Ayew 77), Antonio (Zaza 80)
Subs not used: Adrian, Nordtveit, Collins, Fletcher
Bookings: Noble, Reid, Kouyate
Chelsea: Begovic, Luiz, Cahill, Terry, Aina (Pedro 67), Kante, Chalobah (Hazard 62), Azpilicueta, Willian, Batshuayi (Costa 54), Oscar
Subs not used: Eduardo, Alonso, Matic, Solanke
Bookings:
Referee: Craig Pawson
Attendance: 45,957
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West Ham United 2-1 Chelsea
BBC.co.uk
West Ham reached the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup as they confidently dispatched Chelsea but their victory was marred by crowd trouble at London Stadium.
Plastic bottles and seats were thrown towards the end of the match as hundreds of fans were involved in ugly scenes.
Security was boosted for the high-risk derby and an alcohol ban imposed as part of a "robust policing plan" aimed at minimising crowd trouble, with West Ham's new home dogged by disturbances this season.
The flash points were a blot on what had been an entertaining night on the pitch as a much-changed Chelsea side were beaten by a cohesive and intense Hammers side.
A superb Cheikhou Kouyate header before the break and an 18-yard Edimilson Fernandes strike a few minutes into the second half secured West Ham's cup progress before more than 45,000 fans.
Gary Cahill swept home from close range in injury time for a consolation at the end of an entertaining match.
Terry makes losing return
Chelsea made seven changes to the team that thrashed Manchester United 4-0 on Sunday and the most notable inclusion was that of captain John Terry, returning from injury to the centre of a three-man defence.
Terry had last played on 11 September and in his absence Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta have formed a backline that has registered three consecutive clean sheets in their most recent encounters.
Azpilicueta was moved to wing-back to make room for Terry and the former England international's lack of match practice played a part in the visiting defence's weakness.
Terry was beaten by Kouyate as the midfielder headed home for only his second goal of the season and the 35-year-old also played a part in the Hammers' second as Fernandes threaded his strike through Terry's legs on the way to goal.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte brought on his heavyweights - Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Pedro - with the second half in its infancy but they failed to spark a comeback.
Costa, put through by the bright Willian, who was making a return following compassionate leave, was one-on-one with Randolph Darren in the closing stages of the match but chipped the ball inches wide.
Chelsea had their chances - Nathaniel Chalobah's first-half effort was tipped over the crossbar by Randolph and N'Golo Kante also went close - but West Ham were deserved winners.
West Ham 'buzzing'
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic said his team were "buzzing again" following back-to-back victories in the league following a shaky start to the season and against their London rivals they played like a team now at home in their surroundings.
Bilic's side have been holding training sessions at their new ground after taking just four points from their opening four league matches and it seems to have helped as they dominated for all but the closing stages of the match.
Off the pitch, however, this season's crowd trouble at London Stadium will be of major concern to the club.
Prior to this tie there had been nine arrests outside the stadium and 23 banning orders issued by West Ham in what has been a traumatic start to life in the former Olympic Stadium.
This match, with Chelsea allocated more than 5,000 tickets for the fourth-round tie, was the biggest test yet to the police and stewards but once again trouble stirred.
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West Ham 2-1 Chelsea: Cheikhou Kouyate and Edimilson Fernandes seal EFL Cup win
By James Walker-Roberts
Last Updated: 26/10/16 10:19pm
SSN
West Ham advanced to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup after beating Chelsea 2-1 at the London Stadium on Wednesday.
Cheikhou Kouyate put the Hammers, who will travel to Manchester United in the next round, ahead in the 11th minute with a brilliant header from Mark Noble's cross.
Michy Batshuayi missed a good chance to level late in the first half for Chelsea, who made seven changes from their win over Man Utd on Sunday.
Edimilson Fernandes then made it 2-0 shortly after the break and all the visitors could muster in response was an injury-time consolation from Gary Cahill.
That goal came shortly after some disturbances in the crowd, with missiles thrown and fighting breaking out.
The trouble looked to be largely kept under control, with police, who were inside the stadium for the first time, stepping in to restore order.
Otherwise there appeared to be few problems in the stands and there was action enough on the pitch to keep the crowd - a West Ham record for the League Cup - fully engaged.
West Ham made two changes from the weekend, with Darren Randolph and Aaron Cresswell starting, while Chelsea made seven alterations, with John Terry returning to start after a month out with injury.
It was the visitors who made the more positive start as Terry volleyed over from a corner and N'Golo Kante forced Randolph into a good save.
West Ham had not threatened until they took the lead after 11 minutes, with Kouyate brilliantly flicking Noble's cross past Asmir Begovic.
Michail Antonio should have doubled the advantage shortly afterwards when he dragged wide of the post, the ball falling to him around the penalty spot after Dimitri Payet appeared to be fouled by Kante.
Randolph tipped over an effort from Nathaniel Chalobah at the other end, before Lanzini again went close for West Ham, missing the target wide from 10 yards out.
Begovic then saved a free-kick from Payet before keeping out a sweetly-struck first-time shot from Pedro Obiang.
Batshuayi spurned a great chance to level late in the half but failed to hit the target from in front of goal. Oscar then jabbed a shot narrowly wide in injury-time.
West Ham doubled their advantage shortly after the interval as Begovic saved well from Payet but the ball came out to Fernandes and he fired an effort across goal and into the corner.
Mark Noble went close with a shot from outside the box as West Ham looked to add to their lead.
Diego Costa and Eden Hazard were sent on by Antonio Conte but the Blues could not drag themselves back into the match.
Willian missed a brilliant chance when he dragged wide before Hazard struck the woodwork and Costa failed to beat Randolph when through on goal.
West Ham also had chances, with Andre Ayew heading wide on his return from injury, and Payet shooting at Begovic from Simone Zaza's cutback.
Chelsea did pull a goal back in injury-time through Cahill but it was too little too late.
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West Ham 2-1 Chelsea: Hammers outplay sorry Blues to secure EFL Cup quarter-final - 5 things we learned
21:38, 26 OCT 2016
BY ED MALYON
Goals from Cheikhou Kouyate and Edimilson Fernandes were the difference at the London Stadium
The Mirror
Cheikhou Kouyate stunned Chelsea by opening the scoring with a brilliant eleventh-minute header.
The midfielder, playing in defence as part of a back three, was some 15 yards from goal when he met Dimitri Payet's corner but still somehow arrowed it past Asmir Begovic and into the far corner.
And having got the better of the first half, the Hammers doubled their lead through Edimilson Fernandes' first goal for the club.
The 20-year-old midfielder rifled home from around 20 yards to bury Chelsea, who threw Diego Costa and Eden Hazard on in desperation but never really looked capable of overturning the deficit.
Gary Cahill got a goal back late into injury time.
But what did we learn? Ed Malyon was at the London Stadium....
1. When back threes collide
Tactical innovation comes in cycles and these two sides have both recently turned to a three-man defence to try and reverse poor starts to the season.
They aren't the only ones, but it was always going to be interesting to see how the match-ups worked with West Ham fielding no natural centre-forward and Chelsea just playing one - Michy Batshuayi.
A 3-vs-1 at the back can be problematic because it means you're likely being overloaded elsewhere. In this instance, the Hammers were effectively playing Michail Antonio as a lone frontman which left David Luiz and Gary Cahill free while John Terry took care of the England winger in the first half.
Action Images via ReutersEdimilson Fernandes in action with Ola AinaWing war: Edimilson Fernandes and Ola Aina were in a one-on-one battle as wing-backs
With both backlines enjoying spare defenders, the key was always likely to be who could overload those zones or simply win one-on-one battles.
The hosts had the clearest chance of the first half when Antonio rolled Terry brilliantly (albeit far too easily) and crossed for Manuel Lanzini - who should have done far better when presented with the ball right in front of the goal.
West Ham's switch to a back three has really tightened up their defence and while their attack continues to tick over nicely, the results will come.
Chelsea have now conceded their first goals since adopting the system and there may be questions over John Terry's suitability to this new system.
The Blues skipper had to be shifted out of the central role after being run ragged by Antonio in the first half.
2. Kouyate brushes off the critics
West Ham's fans aren't backwards in coming forward when their team struggles and there are few players who haven't been criticised during the Irons' poor start to the campaign.
Cheikhou Kouyate, such a success as a rangy, powerful box-to-box midfielder has been converted into a ball-carrying central defender by Slaven Bilic this season and has copped some flak for his displays.
Often in these circumstances it is a lack of defensive instincts that kills a player - not knowing where attackers will be and allowing them to ghost in and take advantage.
But he, Winston Reid and Angelo Ogbonna did a good job of keeping Chelsea in front of them.
West Ham reaped the additional benefits of having three centre-backs in the starting XI by towering over the Blues at set pieces - and it was Kouyate's thumping header from 15-odd yards out gave the Hammers an early lead.
Action Images via ReutersCheikhou Kouyate celebrates scoringCheikhou Kouyate celebrates scoring the opener
3. West Ham's attack isn't to be underestimated
It has taken some jiggling about, some moving of chess pieces, but Slaven Bilic has got things right again at West Ham.
The move to a back three has improved their defence while their attack - which was still firing even in their losing streak - continues to cause problems against anyone they come up against.
Michail Antonio may have started the campaign as a full-back but his impression of a centre-forward was remarkable today.
He caused problems for three experienced top-level central defenders and was joined by the buccaneering, wildly unpredictable duo of Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini.
Payet was the creator in chief and forged a number of noteworthy chances for his side throughout the 90 minutes.
He should have scored himself early in the second half, but as the move broke down Edimilson Fernandes galloped onto the loose ball and drove home from 20 yards to double the Hammers' lead and settle this tie.
This is a team that won't struggle to score goals. If they can keep it tight at the other end then they are going to fly up the Premier League table.
4. Michy Batshuayi fails his first-team audition
Ploughing a lone furrow against three central defenders, this wasn't the easiest game for Michy Batshuayi to prove he should be starting ahead of Diego Costa.
The Belgian wasn't the sort of cheap striker you expect to be playing second fiddle. It took £30million to prise him away from Marseille in the summer and his mixture of power, pace and finishing made him the perfect man to challenge Costa for his starting place.
But the Spaniard's return to form under Antonio Conte (and a lack of continental football to fill their schedule with midweek fixtures) has meant Michy riding the pine more than expected.
Given his opportunity to show what he could do, the 23-year-old didn't really blow Conte away.
Indeed, just after the half-time whistle went the Belgian decided he would take a shot at goal anyway. But with goalkeeper Darren Randolph prone on the floor and the net gaping, Batshuayi still could only clatter it against the crossbar - much to the amusement of Hammers fans behind the goal.
He was removed not long after the break having failed to make an impact against three centre-backs, but given Antonio's performance at the other end against better defenders it wasn't a great look for Michy.
And the worst thing of all is that elimination from this competition means he will have fewer games to play in.
5. London Stadium's teething problems continue
We didn't see the embarrassing in-fighting among West Ham fans that marred the Irons' arrival at the London Stadium, but then again it's amazing what winning can do.
Now that the Hammers have turned their season around the ruckus' have stopped, but the visit of Chelsea was always going to provide a different sort of issue.
The London Stadium is only a mile walk from Stratford station but there is no way to segregate fans or manage crowds with any efficiency.
Fans were angry at being held at the station, angry at being re-routed and then you have the en masse arrival of away fans who are wholly mixed in with the home support.
When there is a rivalry like this and the games are at night, it becomes a concern.
The police presence was greater than in previous weeks and was visible but many of the issues have been down to poor stewarding so far. A raft of unhelpful workers in fluorescent jackets - none of whom seemed to know where anything was - is of no assistance to attending supporters.
While the atmosphere was terrific, the pitch superb and the transport links are extensive, none of that was ever in doubt.
You'd hope simply more time to bed in and getting to know the surroundings will make this feel like a home for West Ham.
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