Approaching this game with a tinge of dissatisfaction at the late kick off, I wondered how it would possibly effect our performance.
Apprehensive that the good form that we had built up leading into the international break had be disrupted and that the Hammers had some of their first team players returning from injury and having had time to regroup and reorganise after a poor run of results had left them near the bottom of the table.
Surely I was just being pessimistic. We were playing good football with real quality players now pulling on the red and blue shirt. Christian Benteke was oozing confidence after his hat-trick for Belgium during the week and current form for the Eagles. A first return to Selhurst Park since the 4-1 win against Stoke City and if we played to our strengths against a low in confidence Hammers side, then we were more than capable of collecting the three points.
We started off with the same team that played so well at Goodison Park last time out, although once again we were without inspirational captain Scott Dann. The side is definitely weaker at the back without him and the sooner he is back the better.
The match kicked off at a sold out Selhurst Park in horrid conditions with the rain bucketing down making it difficult for both sets of players. The visitors seemed the hungrier of the two sides from the start, Palace appeared sluggish and not looking like the team that was unbeaten in five league matches. The Hammers on the other hand looked like they wanted it more and were set up very organised.
A two week international break had appeared to allow Slaven Bilic to go back to basics, work on team shape and they looked to take the game to the home side. On the contrary, the Eagles looked rusty and it looked like the break had effected momentum.
Returning to the West Ham starting eleven was left back Aaron Cresswell who caused Palace problems after settling quickly. They were much more offensive putting the Eagles on the back foot.
It was puzzling as to why we started off so poorly but there was hope it would just take us a bit longer to settle down and then the quality would come through.
After an early chance for Cresswell, Palace responded with a chance to take the lead when Andros Townsend had a effort blocked. The ball fell to Benteke who found Jason Puncheon, the midfielder slid a lovely ball through to Wilfried Zaha. With only Adrian to beat the Palace number eleven dragged his shot wide, and should really have shown more composure and hit the target.
That was all we seemed to be showing as again West Ham were taking the game to us with Simeone Zaza chasing everything down while Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell pushing forward at will.
It was a real concern with the way the visitors had set up that if they took the lead in a period of the game that we simply could not get going. Low and behold, the inevitable happened and a low cross into the box by the livewire Cresswell found Manuel Lanzini who flicked a right foot shot past the stranded Steve Mandanda and into the net.
Every fan in the stadium could see it coming. Palace responded with a little more purpose and urgency after conceding but not to the level we know they are capable of.
The game played out with for the rest of the half, chances came and went for both teams but West Ham looked comfortable. Slaven Bilic had got his back line organised and his tactics spot on.
Then an opportunity gifted to Palace in injury time. A through ball from Puncheon to Zaha who was brought down outside the box by Antonio. The loose ball fell to Benteke in the box who was brought down clumsily by Angelo Ogbonna. PENALTY!!!!
A real turning point and a joy that Yohan Cabaye was not on the pitch to take it, having missed spot kicks against Newcastle United and Bournemouth. Benteke had with the ball in his hand, a striker who was oozing with confidence and the anticipation that we were going into the break on level terms.
It was hard to believe what the crowd witnessed, with Adrian stranded on the floor for moving to quickly Benteke missed the target and put the ball high and wide of the target with an over confident effort. All he had to do was hit the target and it looked like it just was not going to be our day and a left off for the Hammers.
A minute later Benteke almost redeemed his mistake when a pass down the line by Joel Ward found James McArthur who put a wonderful ball into the box. It was met by the head of the Belgian striker who saw his effort agonisingly hit the post and go wide with Adrain beaten.
Half time and Palace were trailing but with the opportunities that arose in first half stoppage time, the hosts could well have been leading at the break.
At the break Pardew made a couple of tactical substitutions bringing on Zeki Fryers for Martin Kelly and Cabaye replacing Joe Ledley. The changes gave Palace a little more purpose acknowledging that the game really had to be upped if there was any chance of getting anything from the fixture.
Palace huffed and puffed and looked more creative with the addition of Cabaye who had a good game since coming on as the search for an equaliser continued. However, the Hammers defence looked solid and knew their responsibilities, rarely waivering. They looked like they had settled for the lead and were going to stay structured and stick to the game plan to secure it.
The Eagles did raise their game in the second half, desperately pushing for that all important goal. However, it never really looked like it was going to come in the torrential rain that was pouring down in SE25. Good job the pitch was watered before kick off as always!
In a last throw of the dice, Pardew substituted a below par McArthur for Connor Wickham as he tried a two up front formation in an attempt to rescue something from the game. Palace continued to work hard, showing the more desire of the two sides but just could not find a way past the visiting back line. The impressive Winston Reid and England international Michail Antonio especially standing out.
It was not all one way traffic though as a corner from Dimitri Payet was floated over and met by Antonio who saw his effort hit the post past Jason Puncheon who was poised on the goal line. The ball was played back into the box and Cresswell received a yellow card for a dive in the area after a challenge by the impressive Cabaye in supposedly trying to feign a foul for a penalty. A let off for Palace that could of been given on another day.
A minute later Cresswell fouled Zaha out wide as he tried to burst past him and after the referee Martin Atkinson consulted with his linesman, he awarded Cresswell his second yellow card in less than a minute. West Ham were down to ten men for the last quarter of an hour and giving Palace a golden opportunity to make the extra man count so they immediately pushed forward with greater purpose, trying to find a way past a well organised West Ham unit.
Opportunities were falling Palace’s way as they worked hard to make the extra man count. The Hammers had their backs to the wall and had clearly settled on hanging onto their lead and just play on the break. The best chance of an equaliser fell to substitute Connor Wickham who’s close range header was tipped over by Adrian.
The game came to a conclusion with West Ham managing to contain our attacking purpose as we desperately piled forward. Benteke’s first league defeat in a Palace shirt while Mandanda is still without a clean sheet in goal for us.
A bad day at the office for Palace. We simply did not want it as much as West Ham. Bilic tactically outwitted Pardew while Benteke was over confident with the all important spot kick. Cabaye looked better after his spell being on the bench but the poor form at home returns. Improvement needed.
Premier League champions Leicester City are up next for Palace. Just watch us go get the three points up there.
