West Ham fails to win again in 0-0 draw vs Stoke

After the break West Ham turned the screw.

Adrian then returned the compliment at the other end late in the day when Bojan and Arnautovic combined for Diouf to fire at the West Ham keeper. “It was something I had been thinking of for quite some time and it was just about making sure we picked the right game to do it”, Hughes said.

“We need to get to a point where we go into a game expecting to play well rather than hoping to play well”.

Their many injuries up front are taking their toll and they are missing the goal threat of the likes of Diafra Sakho and Manuel Lanzini.

Hughes, who revealed they had rested key midfielder Xherdan Shaqirir to help him recover from a hamstring injury ahead of key games coming up, added: “With the technical players we have we are trying to give them a platform to perform on”.

Despite two clean sheets for opposing goalkeepers Adrián and David De Gea, the game was actually highly entertaining with both teams getting their fair share of chances. Both teams created chances to win.

As far as this one goes, Slaven Bilic’s side have often struggled this season when the onus has been on them to force the issue and attack.

Hughes says the players have been buoyant in training this week – but says there is no room for complacency if they want to earn widespread and lasting respect. And we did exactly that. The three of them, who would undoubtedly grace any team in the Premier League, linked up superbly and were a joy to watch all game, giving their opponents the runaround with Shaqiri setting up Arnautovic for both goals.

At the time that would have been an injustice, though, given the number of potshots West Ham had peppered Butland’s goal with early on.

The traditional bubbles were floating amongst the crowd at the start of a second half that soon saw Philipp Wollscheid turning his back to block Kouyate’s shot on goal, while the subsequent corner saw Collins fly in and nearly convert from close range with his outstretched forehead. Michail Antonio was looking lively on his full debut for the club, but Erik Pieters was more than equipped to snuff out his pace and clear the danger. But it did the business.

The Hammers have been excellent on the road, winning at Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, but they can not repeat that form at Upton Park because playing on the counter suits them so well.

No wonder Marko Arnautovic held his head in his hands after seeing his fierce free kick come back off the bar having taken a cruel deflection.

In seasons gone by, the sight of Stoke overcoming a side with the riches that Manchester City possess would have resulted in a nationwide inquest as to what went wrong for the side at the top, but last weekend it was different. “I’m not trying to find excuses”, said Bilic.

Zarate 7 – Delivered a teasing cross for a Carroll header and shot against the post.