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Andy Carroll and Peter Crouch make their presence felt as West Ham deny Stoke a much-needed win

Winning this game would have been a miracle for Stoke City, but not winning it, and in this fashion, was a disaster. This was a dismal match which both teams deserved to lose but somehow neither of them did. Although both of them - blunt in attack, slow in midfield, clumsy in defence - ran it close at the end.To get more sport news, you can visit shine news official website. At least West Ham United already have just enough points on the board. They can accept this draw but for Stoke it will be much harder to take. Because after offering nothing all night, Paul Lambert’s team took an implausible late lead through Peter Crouch, scrambling the ball in from close range.

That would have been their first win since 20 January, three points of incalculable value with just four games left after this one. But then in the last minute another substitute, Andy Carroll, popped up and volleyed in. Stoke were left with one bitter point, leaving them still five adrift and with hard games to play.Stoke were sickened, but it was difficult to feel sorry for them. Because what was so surprising, given the stakes, was how little urgency they began the game with. We are far enough into spring that this game began in sunlight and yet Stoke played here as if they had the whole season still ahead of them. No tempo on the ball, no urgency without it and the bizarre sight of goal-kicks and set-plays being slowed down and waited on. Time-wasting is an unusual way to save yourself from relegation.

The only player in the first hour with any interest in making a difference was Marco Arnautovic, who Stoke sold to West Ham last year. He has a big job in this West Ham team: not just the lonely target man but the only player with any real creativity or flair either. He has carried West Ham at times recently, not least with his double against Southampton last month, and this was no different. None of his team-mates gave him much support.Stoke were sickened, but it was difficult to feel sorry for them. Because what was so surprising, given the stakes, was how little urgency they began the game with. We are far enough into spring that this game began in sunlight and yet Stoke played here as if they had the whole season still ahead of them. No tempo on the ball, no urgency without it and the bizarre sight of goal-kicks and set-plays being slowed down and waited on. Time-wasting is an unusual way to save yourself from relegation. The only player in the first hour with any interest in making a difference was Marco Arnautovic, who Stoke sold to West Ham last year. He has a big job in this West Ham team: not just the lonely target man but the only player with any real creativity or flair either. He has carried West Ham at times recently, not least with his double against Southampton last month, and this was no different. None of his team-mates gave him much support.

Wednesday, 18 April 2018