To quote former West Ham United left-back Scott Minto, Sunday’s 2-1 FA Cup third round triumph over London rivals Queens Park Rangers was very much a case of ‘crisis averted’.
Having thrown away so many games from winning positions in the Nuno Espirito Santo era already – including the potentially fatal home loss to relegation rivals Nottingham Forest in midweek – the home supporters could have been forgiven for fearing the worst.
Shortly after Konstantinos Mavropanos was forced off with a neck injury, QPR striker Richard Kone popped up to cancel out Crysencio Summerville’s first West Ham United strike since October 2024.
Nuno may have survived successive losses against Wolves and Forest. But a home defeat to a mid-table Championship outfit, a London neighbour no less, and any remaining patience may have twanged like piano wire.
FA Cup progress after extra-time 😎 Give us your INSTANT reaction…
Great header from Taty! 😍
‘Crisis averted’, indeed.
But what is your immediate reaction following a morale-boosting win, and Taty Castellanos’ first goal for his new employers?
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Taty Castellanos is West Ham United’s FA Cup hero
Captain Jarrod Bowen could not speak highly enough of Taty Castellanos following the fizzing header which secured FA Cup progression eight minutes into extra-time.
Fan favourite status seems destined for Castellanos at the London Stadium. And a late winner against QPR to avoid one of those feared ‘cupsets’ will do his reputation no harm at all. To think, there was once another Argentine striker who popped up with plenty of decisive goals in the second half of the season…
What did you make of Castellanos’ performance?
Crysencio Summerville was arguably the Man of the Match
Summerville ended a 25-match goal drought when he fired past Joe Walsh in the QPR goal right at the end of the first half. The stylish run and sumptuous cross which set up Castellanos’ winner, meanwhile, was even easier on the eye.
Was this the day when Summerville truly arrived in East London?
Or was this simply a Championship footballer turning on the style against Championship opposition?
Sum up this man’s performance against QPR in three words 👇
Ezra Mayers impressive on his full Hammers debut
The West Ham fans like what they see from Ezra Mayers.
On the back of a couple of neat and tidy cameos in the Premier League, Nuno handed the teenage defender a full debut against QPR. Mayers, still only 18, was the only Under-21 regular included as Airidas Golambeckis, Finlay Herrick and Mohamadou Kante watched on from the bench.
But, looking as calm and settled as ever, where does Mayers sit among West Ham’s stand-out performers? And who gets your Man of the Match vote in what is presumably a two-horse race between Summerville and Castellanos?
Who was West Ham’s MOTM against QPR and why?! 👀
Could David Sullivan really survive relegation to the Championship?
Now, this is quite the dilemma.
Would you accept relegation if it forced a change of ownership, and a new beginning in the boardroom?
According to club insider Sean Whetstone, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta would likely leave, alongside Jean-Clair Todibo, if indeed relegation is confirmed. But, on the other hand, it could also be the necessary evil which brings about the end of a miserable regime.
Would you take relegation if it meant that David Sullivan would leave?! 🤔
Not a nice position to be in – but what would YOU choose if you had to?
Metz midfielder Alpha Toure is a West Ham United target
You’ve got to be pretty good with a name like ‘Alpha’, and it appears that the latest young talent to emerge at Metz after Sadio Mane, Robert Pires and Franck Ribery is exactly that.
According to reports, West Ham were keen to sign Alpha Toure for around £6 million. Metz have rejected that opening offer, though the Hammers are yet to be dissuaded.
One of the finest prospects in French football, Toure moving towards ‘complete midfielder’ territory already, as the statistics show.
On the other hand, is a relegation battle really the place for a 19-year-old with only seven league starts under his belt?
What is your VIEW on West Ham targeting Alpha Toure? 💰
Are midfield signings needed?
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