Gloomy Hammers fearful of entering another 'Pellegrini era' as Chelsea cruise it

West Ham United (0) 0

Chelsea (2) 3 Jackson 4, 18, Palmer 47

Have we seen this story before?

A fair few fans on social media are already drawing uncomfortable parallels to the Manuel Pellegrini era and that pretty unremarkable phase in the West Ham story where the club's direction looked anything but positive.

It was a 19-month spell - between David Moyes' two terms in charge - that looked a mistake from the outset. The players assembled then looked random rather than part of a coherent masterplan.

Julen Lopetegui is another big (biggish?) name brought in to perhaps sprinkle some stardust. But there has been not much of that around so far. A third successive home defeat for the Irons has cast some early season gloom at the London Stadium.

The visit of those unloved west London rivals usually ignites a fire under the Hammers and their passionate fans. Not today.

Two ridiculously simple goals from Nicolas Jackson in the opening 18 minutes killed the vibe almost before it really had time to catch hold.

The Irons were caught napping after only four minutes when Jadon Sancho sent the Chelsea striker scurrying through for a one v one on Alphonse Areola. Not long after, Moises Caicedo took advantage of a gaping hole though the middle to release the Blues' marksman and the outcome on both occasions was a goal.

Chelsea, in easy street, might have increased their lead through Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke. Lopetegui felt obliged to take off Guido Rodriguez after only 37 minutes and send on Tomas Soucek - such was the failure of the Argentinian to get to grips with the untroubled visitors' midfield.

Edson Alvarez was given a starting position in central defence and Crysencio Summerville was handed a first start. But It all looked wrong. So did the suicidal high line which invited Chelsea to flood forward at pace. A deathly hush enveloped the London Stadium as the first half progressed.

Could it get much worse. Well, yes. We had barely started the second half when Jackson powered through the middle before slipping the ball to his left for Palmer to dispatch.

There were boos for Lopetegui when he removed the energetic Summerville from the fray and although the mood was far from mutinous, it conveyed massive disenchantment.

Michail Antonio replaced him but more goals still seemed likely at the other end, with Joao Felix hitting the side-netting and shooting just wide at the death and Christopher Nkunku having a three-yard header superbly kept out by Areola, as the Blues kept threatening to inflict more punishment.

Those vast Stratford stands were looking half empty when there were still 15 minutes to go. Some of those departing early may be hoping Karen Brady still has Moyes' phone number to hand.

Hammers: (3-4-3) Areola - Alvarez (Soler 54), Mavropanos, Kilman - Wan-Bissaka, Rodriguez (Soucek 37), Lucas Paqueta (Irving 73), Emerson (Cresswell 73) - Kudus, Bowen, Summerville (Antonio 54)

Blues: (4-2-3-1) Sanchez - Fofana (Disasi 57), Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella - Caicedo, Fernandez (Dewsbury-Hall 84), Madueke, Palmer (Felix 64), Sancho (Neto 57) - Jackson (Nkunku 64)