Joelinton and Joe Willock stood out, but Declan Rice was sub-par as West Ham United and Newcastle United played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
Despite missing some important players, Newcastle United started the game as the stronger of the two sides. But after weathering the storm in the opening quarter of an hour, West Ham United found a stable footing and dominated the proceedings for the remainder of the first half, leaving the Magpies to fend for opportunities on the counter-attack.
Despite their dominance, West Ham produced fewer shots in the first half than Newcastle, which is why a 1-1 scoreline at half-time seemed fair. The hosts broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Craig Dawson met Aaron Cresswell’s free-kick to put his side ahead. But Newcastle pulled back on level terms through Joe Willock, who showed a lot of tenacity to score from close range.
The Hammers stepped up the intensity after the interval, but Newcastle United soon assumed control of the proceedings. However, neither side looked like scoring in the second half as the game ended in a 1-1 draw. With the result, West Ham lost two crucial points in the top-four race, whereas Newcastle pulled further away from the drop zone. The Hard Tackle now runs the rule over both sets of players.
West Ham United
Lukasz Fabianski: 6/10
Fabianski was the busier of the two goalkeepers and made two smart saves to keep Newcastle at bay. But the veteran goalkeeper could not have done much to deny Joe Willock.
Ryan Fredericks: 5/10
Vladimir Coufal missed out due to a hernia problem, giving Ryan Fredericks a chance to impress. But the 29-year-old, making his first Premier League start of the season, was targeted by Newcastle United as West Ham’s weak point and was rightly taken off at half-time by David Moyes.
Craig Dawson: 6/10
After scoring an important goal against Leicester City, Dawson converted Aaron Cresswell’s free-kick in the first half to break the deadlock. And while he was dogged in his defensive display, the 31-year-old should have done better to keep Willock at bay for the equaliser.
Since his Premier League debut in August 2011, Craig Dawson has scored more headed goals than any other defender in the competition [14].
Deadlock broken. ? pic.twitter.com/vAVz9Fta9F
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 19, 2022
Kurt Zouma: 7/10
Newcastle threatened a lot whenever they charged forward, but Kurt Zouma stood firmly in the face of the visitors’ danger. The Frenchman made numerous clearances (10) while producing two big blocks and winning five duels. It was a job well done.
Aaron Cresswell: 6/10
Cresswell played in the dangerous free-kick that Dawson converted, and his deliveries always looked threatening. He was generally solid when put under pressure, although Newcastle directed plays from the opposite flank more often than not.
Tomas Soucek: 5/10
As is usually the case with him, Soucek was here, there and everywhere. But Newcastle found a way to outnumber him and Declan Rice in the middle of the park, forcing him to make uncharacteristic errors. He also struggled to carry a threat during set-piece situations.
Declan Rice: 5/10
Rice endured a game of hits and misses, making some of his usual runs and no-nonsense tackles while also producing a few unusual howlers. One recovery run against Jacob Murphy stood out, but he nearly gave away a penalty early on and mistimed his headed clearance in the build-up to Willock’s goal.
Jarrod Bowen: 5/10
The most in-form player in the Premier League came the closest to scoring in the game’s opening quarter. But Bowen’s influence waned considerably as the minutes wore on, with Matt Targett marshalling him superbly. The frustration was evident when he squabbled with Dan Burn after being fouled.
Said Benrahma: 6/10
Benrahma replaced Manuel Lanzini in the starting lineup, and the Algerian playmaker was West Ham’s most potent outlet in the game. But he was not on the same wavelength as his teammates, who failed to spot him on his runs.
“EVERY TIME”
He’s been inconsistent but I can’t help but feel sorry for Benrahma. Seems to always get subbed off even if he’s had a decent game
Personally would drop Antonio, put Bowen up front and play Benrahma, Fornals & Lanzini or Vlasic pic.twitter.com/tPdxVvIckY
— Alex ⚒ (@AlexSmith_123) February 19, 2022
Pablo Fornals: 5/10
Fornals started in his usual role on the left side of the West Ham attack but was sub-par. The Spaniard’s output left a lot to be desired, and he never looked like he was going to make a telling difference.
Michail Antonio: 6/10
Antonio has not been at his best lately but looked like a man on a mission against Newcastle United. But the Jamaican international often drifted too wide and was never an option for the balls coming into the Newcastle box. He needs to rediscover his best form soon.
SUBSTITUTES
Ben Johnson: 6/10
Johnson replaced Ryan Fredericks at half-time and was an upgrade on the 29-year-old. The young defender was more solid in his defensive duties but could not push forward as much as he would have liked.
Nikola Vlasic: N/A
Vlasic came on for Benrahma but did not get enough opportunities to make a meaningful impact apart from one run, which Ryan Fraser halted.
Newcastle United
Martin Dubravka: 6/10
Dubravka did not have much goalkeeping to do on Saturday, with West Ham forcing him to make just two saves. He could not have done anything to keep out Craig Dawson’s header, but did his job otherwise.
Emil Krafth: 6.5/10
With Kieran Trippier and Javier Manquillo out injured, Krafth had the chance to leave his mark. While he did not carry much threat on his forays down the right flank, the Swede was a solid customer at the back, never letting Pablo Fornals get on top of him.
Fabian Schar: 6/10
Schar was the leader at the back for Newcastle and produced a determined performance. But he gave the invitation to West Ham to pile on the pressure in the first half, with his output on the ball leaving a lot to be desired. Nonetheless, it was a largely solid performance by the Swiss defender.
Dan Burn: 5/10
Burn was in for a battle ahead of the game, with Michail Antonio looking to get back in form. But the Englishman was not put under much pressure apart from set-pieces. That said, he failed to track Dawson for the opener, which is why he gets a lower rating.
Matt Targett: 7/10
Back in the starting lineup after being ineligible to take on parent club Aston Villa last weekend, Targett showed just how important he has become for Newcastle. The 26-year-old contained Jarrod Bowen well and also looked threatening when charging up his flank, playing a joint-high three key passes in the game.
Joe Willock: 8/10
Joe Willock has scored 10 career Premier League goals:
Newcastle – 9
Arsenal – 1His first of the season! ? pic.twitter.com/YbVQldGUFo
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 19, 2022
Willock has struggled to rediscover his peak form from the second half of the 2020/21 season this term, but he looked in good touch from the get-go. When he got the ball, the former Arsenal midfielder charged forward smartly and looked to press high up the pitch. More importantly, Willock got Newcastle back on level terms by scoring a smart goal.
Jonjo Shelvey: 7/10
With Newcastle outnumbering West Ham in the middle of the park, Shelvey got several chances to showcase his passing abilities. The former Liverpool midfielder never lost possession cheaply and was solid in his defensive output, completing three interceptions and a block.
Joelinton: 8/10
Continuing his re-emergence as a midfielder, Joelinton provided a powerful presence in the middle of the park. The Brazilian linked up play smartly, misplacing just two passes and creating two chances. He strode forward with purpose and defended by putting his body on the line. He has become a big asset for Newcastle.
Whatever #NUFC have done with Joelinton, we're here for it ?️#WHUNEW pic.twitter.com/VvaXoTKP1a
— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) February 19, 2022
Ryan Fraser: 6/10
Fraser has been in a resurgent mood since Eddie Howe’s appointment as the new Newcastle boss. But the Scot struggled to carve out openings in the final third, with Aaron Cresswell marshalling him smartly. That said, he did not shirk from his defensive responsibilities and supported Emil Krafth ably.
Chris Wood: 6/10
Wood often fed off scraps on Saturday but looked to chase lost causes and almost created a chance out of nothing in the first half. But as the game wore on, the New Zealand striker’s influence waned, with his touches also becoming more sloppy.
Jacob Murphy: 6/10
Murphy was drafted into the starting lineup in place of the injured Allan Saint-Maximin. The 26-year-old was a bundle of energy, albeit without the same end product as the Frenchman. He lost possession 20 times but put in the hard yards off the ball, which was crucial during West Ham’s periods of dominance.
SUBSTITUTES
Miguel Almiron: N/A
Introduced in place of Fraser, Almiron put in the hard yards in the game’s dying embers.
Bruno Guimaraes: N/A
A late introduction, Bruno Guimaraes barely had any time to make a difference.
