Forget results because it is what happened in the second half at West Ham that will make David Sullivan sit up and take notice.
They say football is all about results. But if that was the case then there is an argument David Moyes would have been sacked some time ago.
The 2-0 defeat to Brentford was West Ham’s fifth on the bounce. It leaves the Hammers in serious danger of starting the new year in the bottom three – perhaps even rock bottom.
The wider context to West Ham’s results is that this is nothing new, in the Premier League at least.
There have been just 13 wins in the last 44 Premier League matches over this season and last.
Goals have completely dried up this season with just 13 from the opening 17 matches.
The team and the season has all the hallmarks of a relegation battle and the pressure is, understandably, mounting on Moyes.
But forget results because it is what happened in the second half at West Ham that will make David Sullivan sit up and take notice.
Sullivan has publicly backed Moyes via Hammers News and has also denied reports of a falling out with the manager.
The majority stakeholder has taken a step back from his de facto director of football role in recent seasons.
More control has been handed to the manager, especially over transfers. And Mark Noble is coming back as a sporting director.
But two things which happened in the second half against Brentford will ring alarm bells for Sullivan.
West Ham fans walked out en masse during yesterday’s defeat with nearly half an hour still left to play.
It is one thing seeing a home crowd get angry or turn on their team. But when you lose the fans to apathy, it is a long way back.
Hope is at the centre of everything as a football fan. And the simple truth is there was no hope watching that match unfold. Supporters felt they could sit there for weeks and West Ham would not score a goal.
When owners see crowds react in the way West Ham’s did against Brentford, it sends a pungent whiff of coffee in the direction of the boardroom. Make no mistake about that.
Sullivan would also have noticed that on more than one occasion the cameras at the match were trained on him as he sat alongside his son Jack.
In fact he did notice. He could be seen looking at the screen in front of him which relayed the very fact.
After spending, along with Daniel Kretinsky and David Gold, over £170m in the summer, Sullivan will not like that he is being put under the microscope again.
Whatever you think of the owners, Sullivan and co have been praised to high heaven by Moyes and seemingly given him everything he wants – including time to turn this around.
Being pushed back into the limelight as things turn sour will not sit well with Sullivan. And neither will a mass walkout that speaks far louder than a chorus of jeers.
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