Alan Shearer can’t believe what he has just seen at West Ham United – ‘Oh my goodness’
Alan Shearer believes West Ham United need a miracle to stay in the Premier League after their shocking defeat against Newcastle.
Nuno Espirito Santo got it all wrong at St James’ Park, starting with five-at-the-back before changing it quickly in the 3-1 defeat.
West Ham are now two points behind Tottenham, who still have two games to go and a considerably better goal difference in the Premier League.
Mistakes were a consistent theme in the North East, with the ever-reliable Konstantinos Mavropanos even dropping a clanger in defeat.
Shearer was at St James’ Park to watch his beloved Newcastle, but he couldn’t believe what he was watching from a West Ham side meant to be fighting for survival.
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West Ham destined for relegation
It was the defending of the Hammers that caught the eye of Shearer, who simply couldn’t believe how bad it was at times from a team meant to be fighting for everything.
| Stat | Newcastle | West Ham |
| Possession (%) | 55 | 45 |
| Expected goals | 1.73 | 0.95 |
| Shots | 15 | 15 |
| Big chances | 3 | 1 |
| Corners | 9 | 1 |
Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast with Gary Lineker, the former striker did admit they were better after Taty Castellanos came on, but it was already too late.
“I have to say, West Ham, oh my goodness,” Shearer said.
“They were dreadful defensively, it was like watching an under-15s amateur side at times, how bad they were defensively.
“He played three at the back to start the game and then after 25 minutes, changed it, brought Castellanos on and put Callum Wilson and him up top.
“They were a little bit better after that.”
West Ham fight misplaced
After a valiant fight against Arsenal last week, that type of attitude was simply missing from the games they had to win at West Ham.
Heavy defeats on the road against Brentford and Newcastle simply weren’t good enough, and that is what will likely relegate the Hammers.
It is alright turning up at home against the soon-to-be champions, but the likes of Leeds and Nottingham Forest have done that against everyone they have faced recently.
If you don’t pick up consistent points, home and away, you will go down.
That is what is now very likely to happen, with Tottenham possibly only needing one point from two games, given the goal difference of both sides.
Leeds beat Brighton on Sunday, so they won’t be a walkover at the London Stadium on the final day, where anything but a win will automatically send West Ham down.
For one, they’ll need to do the basics far better.