Brentford secured an important 1-0 victory over West Ham, with Kevin Schade’s early strike proving to be the match-winner.

The goal came just four minutes into the game at the London Stadium, and despite some close calls later on, Brentford held on for the win.

West Ham’s Slow Start and Early Setback

For West Ham, this game continued a frustrating trend of sluggish starts.

Their goalkeeper, Alphonse Areola, initially looked to have prevented Schade’s shot from crossing the line after making a save, but the ball had already crossed, confirmed by goal-line technology.

This early goal marked the seventh time this season Brentford had scored in the opening 10 minutes, while it was the 10th time West Ham had fallen behind early—both numbers leading the Premier League.

Brentford’s Dominance in the First Half

Brentford controlled the game from the get-go, creating multiple chances to extend their lead. Yoane Wissa had two goals disallowed for offside, including one following a brilliant team move, while Schade also struck the post.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank reflected on how his team should have been at least 3-0 up by halftime, crediting their first-half performance as impressive and fully in control.

West Ham’s Lackluster First Half and Manager’s Response

On the other hand, West Ham’s performance in the first half was lackluster, failing to show the attacking potential many had hoped for, especially with new manager Graham Potter now in charge.

This was the first match where Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, and Lucas Paqueta started together under Potter, but West Ham’s attack looked disjointed.

Even after a triple substitution at halftime, which included the debut of new loan signing Evan Ferguson, West Ham struggled to create meaningful chances.

Ferguson did set up Kudus for the best opportunity of the match, but the winger blasted the shot over the bar.

A Second Half Response But Not Enough for West Ham

Potter did find some positives in the second half, especially with the impact of his substitutes, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit.

He also mentioned that he believed West Ham should have had a penalty when Bowen was fouled in the box by Keane Lewis-Potter.

Despite a stronger second half, West Ham still couldn’t find the equalizer, and the game ended with a 1-0 loss.

This result left Potter with just one win in his first six games in charge, and West Ham now sit two places lower than when his predecessor, Julen Lopetegui, was sacked.

Potter’s Thoughts After the Match

“We’ve got a lot to learn from this game,” said Potter. “The first half was nowhere near where we want to be.

The second half was much better, though, and the subs made a real impact.

We need to find the right balance.”

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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