Liam Delap netted his fourth Premier League goal but Town were comfortably beaten 4-1 by West Ham United on their first visit to the London Stadium. The Hammers went in front in the 49th second via Michail Antonio but the Blues hit back on six through Delap. However, the home side finished the first half strongly and restored their lead through Mohammed Kudus, then four minutes after the restart Jarrod Bowen made it 3-1 and on 69 Lucas Paqueta added the fourth as the Irons picked up home points for the first time this season.

Ben Johnson returned to the Town XI along with Wes Burns in an otherwise unchanged side.

Johnson came in at right-back with Axel Tuanzebe having picked up a knock, while Burns was on the right of the three behind striker Liam Delap with Chiedozie Ogbene on the bench.

Harry Clarke was among the subs for the first time this season having undergone double achilles surgery in the summer.

West Ham were unchanged from the team which drew 1-1 at Brentford last week with former Blues left-back Aaron Cresswell on the bench.

The game was only 49 seconds old when the home side took the lead. Kalvin Phillips, back at the club where he made a frustrating loan spell in the second half of last season, made a poor pass in midfield and lost possession.

Jacob Greaves slid in to try to win it back but lost out and was left out of position as the Hammers broke down the right, Jarrod Bowen crossing low for Antonio, who turned into the net.

West Ham are the fourth club Antonio has found the net with against Town, following Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton.

However, the home side’s lead lasted only five minutes. A corner from the right flicked off Dara O’Shea’s head at the near post and it reached Delap at the back of the box. The striker battled his way past Paqueta before hitting a shot on the turn which Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal could only palm weakly into the roof of his net.

The Town fans at the other end of the ground delightedly celebrated the frontman’s fourth goal in only his seventh Premier League start.

Following the early goals, the game settled down with the Irons seeing most of the ball, Bowen hitting a shot which was blocked by Greaves and then Kudus an effort which Aro Muric claimed comfortably, but with the Blues also having spells on the ball.

On 26, with the game for a period being mainly played mostly in the Hammers’ half, Phillips hit a 25-yard shot only just over Areola’s crossbar.

Five minutes later, Jack Clarke was shown the game’s first yellow card for a late challenge on Tomas Soucek in the centre circle after the former Sunderland man’s first touch had let him down.

The Hammers began to look more threatening and on 34 Aaron Wan-Bissaka cut back from the right and Soucek’s shot was bundled behind.

Two minutes later, Delap broke away on the left into the area and went to ground under the attention of Jean-Clair Todibo as he moved into the area but made little protest towards referee Anthony Taylor. The ball subsequently reached Burns, who was fouled.

From the free-kick, Leif Davis’s ball found Greaves, who headed across the face of goal and wide. A first Town goal can’t be too far away for the centre-half.

On 38, Kudus struck the woodwork with a header with Muric in no-man’s land as the ball came over from the right but the linesman raised his flag.

There was a huge scare for Town from the goal-kick with skipper Morsy giving the ball away to Paqueta inside the area from Muric’s pass. The Brazilian international squared to Soucek and O’Shea blocked on the line.

But the home fans didn’t have to wait too much longer for their second goal of the afternoon.

As the half moved into its final scheduled minute, Emerson stood up a cross from the left, Antonio headed powerfully against the bar, the ball bouncing off the line and out, and Kudus nodding home from a couple of feet.

In three additional minutes, Paqueta looped an effort well over from not far outside the box, then a corner from the left avoided everyone in the box and reached Wan-Bissaka outside the box to the right, from where the former Manchester United man struck a low effort which Muric did well to save and hold onto.

That was the last action of a half in which the Blues had shown character with the way they reacted to conceding the very early goal, Delap netting another memorable strike. But both sides will feel they should have defending the two goals much better.

From there, the Blues settled into the game and had brief spells on top but with Phillips’s shot over and Greaves’s header their best chances, while Town were often guilty of giving the ball away too easily.

As the break neared, the Hammers began to put the Blues under more pressure and could have restored their lead prior to Kudus’s header.

The result was all but confirmed four minutes after the restart when the Hammers went 3-1 in front.

Muric miscontrolled a back-pass from Johnson and was forced to slide in and tackle Antonio. The ball reached Bowen on the right, midway inside the Town half, and the former Hull winger brought the ball into the area and easily past Phillips, before hitting a low shot across Muric and inside the post.

Again, Town played a significant role in their own downfall with the goal Bowen’s fourth in five games against the Blues, three for the Tigers.

Having secured a two-goal lead, the Hammers were comfortable and on the hour Bowen played a clever ball for Kudus to chase into the area. The Ghanaian flicked towards goal but Muric made a good stop down to his right.

Having gone through a frustrated spell, the Blues created their first chance of the second half in the 65th minute, Burns crossing from the right to Delap, whose header was well saved down to his right by Areola.

However, four minutes later, West Ham made it 4-1. Bowen brought the ball in from the right and played an inch-perfect low ball across the six-yard box to Paqueta, who tapped into the net from close range.

Following the goal, West Ham swapped Guido Rodriguez and Antonio for Edson Alvarez and Carlos Soler.

Town made their first changes on 74, Sammie Szmodics, Chiedozie Ogbene and Jack Taylor replacing Clarke, Burns and Phillips, who smiled ruefully as his withdrawal prompted boos from his old supporters.

Four minutes later, with West Ham looking for more goals, Kudus hit a low effort to Muric’s right, the keeper saving well.

With seven minutes remaining, ahead of a corner, the Hammers switched Emerson for ex-Blues left-back Cresswell and Paqueta for Crysencio Summerville, while Town replaced Delap and Omari Hutchinson for George Hirst and Conor Chaplin. From the flag-kick, the ball was cleared to Soler, who blazed over from the edge of the box.

In the 86th minute West Ham made another change, Kudus making way for Luis Guilherme.

A minute later, Town probably should have pulled a goal back. Chaplin cleverly turned a Davis pass to Szmodics inside the box and the Irish international took a touch before hitting his shot across the face and wide when he will feel he should have hit the target.

As the game moved into four minutes of injury time, Cresswell curled a 25-yard free-kick well over the bar.

The third goal soon after the break effectively ended the game as a contest, although Delap’s header which Areola saved might have given the Blues something to build on had it gone in.

Nevertheless, it was the most disappointing afternoon of the season so far for Town, their previous two defeats having come against Liverpool and Manchester City.

Defensive solidity had been a hallmark of the four draws which followed those defeats but on this occasion the Blues made far too many errors at the back.

And at the other end, there wasn’t too much for the Town fans to shout about, Delap’s excellent goal aside, with too little made of opportunities going forward, althought Greaves might have hit the target with his header, Szmodics will feel he should have taken his late chance and Areola saved well from Delap in the second half.

The result sees the Blues drop to 17th with 16th-placed Everton, who host Newcastle this evening, the next visitors to Portman Road in a fortnight after the international break.

West Ham: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson (Cresswell 83), Rodriguez (Alvarez 70), Soucek, Paqueta (Summerville 83), Kudus (Guilherme 86), Bowen (c), Antonio (Soler 70). Unused: Fabianski, Coufal, Mavropanos, Ings.

Town: Muric, Johnson, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis, Morsy (c), Phillips (Taylor 74), Burns (Ogbene 74), Hutchinson, J Clarke (Szmodics 74), Delap. Unused: Walton, H Clarke, Woolfenden, Townsend. Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire). VAR: Darren England (Doncaster). Att: 62,467.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters

blueboy1981 added 18:03 - Oct 5 Muric ?? - a shot stopper - but what else ?? Just asking …. !!
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algarvefan added 18:08 - Oct 5 Pretty awful performance from Town and the players, there were a few, who had a bad game will not need to be told. We truly missed Tuanzebe today, his experience and performances have been key in recent games. I would like to see Walton be given a chance and Chaplin in place of Hutch, hopefully Tuanzebe will be back after the break. Onwards and hopefully upwards!! Keep the faith.

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bluebullet29l added 18:26 - Oct 5 I just don't understand why people on here think Everton will just rock up at portman Road and fall apart like a cheap suit.....they are an established premier league club fighting like us. A rude awakening for some people me thinks. If we perform like that again...we lose..simple.
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papashango87 added 18:26 - Oct 5 Usual “fans” rubbing their hands together tonight, desperate to get their negative comments in. We just conceded some soft goals, it’s gonna be a long season for you if your doom and gloom already. I just rest safe in the knowledge the majority of you don’t go to the games so the negativity is at home where it belongs
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Lightningboy added 18:34 - Oct 5 Dear oh dear...like watching a bunch of strangers,not the "team" we've grown to love over the last 3 seasons....Early days I know! Delap aside i'm not seeing too much from the new signings..all very well praising Greaves,O'Shea etc but so far the defence has looked very ropey and the keeper looks a liability in every game i've seen. Personally I feel sorry for the lads who got us here - I think they deserved/deserve more of a chance.

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therein61 added 18:35 - Oct 5 Worst performance this season after recent good ones which gave optimism going to West Ham but then the reality of the premiership bit us on the bum collectively we have to work hard and get back to the form before today. C.O.Y.B.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 19:04 - Oct 5 Well, we have to take the rough with the smooth, and today was rough! We looked lightweight, we didn't defend well, and we didn't threaten in attack. (Well done, Delap, though - 4 goals with not all that much support is impressive.) Not sure why we are so vulnerable right from the start in each half - not the first time. Hopefully, Kieran will have some answers for the next match, which will be a very tough one. Keep the faith! COYB!

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SickParrot added 19:22 - Oct 5 Based on our performance against Villa I thought we could get our first win today, so it's disappointing that it was so easy for West Ham. We're being punished for every mistake and not making the most of enough of the chances we manage to create at the moment. This must change. It's still early days though and hopefully more games and time on the training ground will allow Kieran to achieve the necessary improvements. Am I alone in thinking that, despite his undoubted ability with the ball, Omari lacks the physicality to succeed in the number 10 role. Time to move him to the right and try Sammie or Chappers behind the excellent Delap?

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AlanG296 added 19:30 - Oct 5 As MM has said repeatedly on BBC Suffolk, Hutchinson should be wide right. Chaplin or Szmod for, number 10 position.
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BlueArrow added 19:35 - Oct 5 Anyone know what the attendance was today in 60,000 capacity stadium and I don’t mean just away supporters ???
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KMcBlue added 19:52 - Oct 5 Just watched the highlights, and wondering why we've suddenly stopped marking the opponent's players in our box?
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ElephantintheRoom added 20:11 - Oct 5 Played like a bunch if strangers. Oh…
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Razor added 20:22 - Oct 5 too many overhyped and more than likely overpaid players did our keeeper escape frpm the circus could somebody please return him and give him back his red nose
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Linkboy13 added 20:46 - Oct 5 Oh well that's all the tough games out of the way. Err we're still bedding in. We need to sort the goal keeping situation out he looks a bundle of nerves to me . All keepers make good saves but the good ones make less mistakes. I see the happy clappers on here are criticising people for being negative if you can find something positive from today's performance you are living in a fantasy world. Next week is a must win game bedded in or not.

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RobsonWark added 20:54 - Oct 5 Get this clown out of goal. It's embarrassing. Bring back Walton.
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LoveIpswichForever added 21:06 - Oct 5 We've got to back our boys. Today was very poor. I could list all the problems but they can be seen above. But all performances this season have been decent apart from today and a really bad 15 mins against City. Our spirit is still there and the players love the shirt, and love us fans. I trust Kieran will have seen the issues today, as he always has, and will put them right. He's a good man manager and a brilliant strategist. Keep singing for our boys, if we're down or if we're up. They need us.

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blueboy1981 added 22:02 - Oct 5 Quite honestly, it was a Shambles, and no excuses will help that.
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NITFC added 22:45 - Oct 5 I thought we were a bit lightweight today and muscled off the ball too often. That and gifting the opposition 3 goals made for a bad day at the office. Question - Are Omari and Szmodics really better in that no 10 role than Chappers? I would try Omari on the right and Connor behind the striker
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KiwiTractor added 23:37 - Oct 5 My thoughts.... Yes a poor day today, some of our first touches were very poor for this level of football, and I don't think we were aggressive enough in our defensive third. Muric - I think we'll see one good game in every 5-6 matches. Personally I'm worried every time he has the ball at his feet, and think Walton deserves a shot. Johnson - hard to see why West Ham rated him so highly. Poor today in all aspects. Greaves and O'Shea - both look like good defenders, but I'm not sure the partnership is there just yet. Hopefully that will come with time. Morsy - though he was better today than some of the comments are suggesting. yes he made some mistakes, but then everyone did. Omari - looking very average to be fair. Noting that he took some time to get up to speed at Championship level. Think he will get there, but McKenna leaving him on too long, hoping he is going to click. Delap - looks a very good player considering he has had great support from the 3 behind him. Burns in particular is not using his pace to best effect. Subs - impressed with the effort and energy that Chaplin brought to the pitch, could be worth a start. Taylor some very poor passing after a couple of recent impressive cameos. Overall, I think we will generally continue to improve as the season goes on (with a few blips, like today), but if I'm completely honest I can't see where (enough of) the wins are going to come from to keep us up. I'll continue to enjoy the season regardless and hope for the best.

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chripswich added 02:45 - Oct 6 I’d be interested to see exactly how many goals have been nicked by teams playing out from the back this season. I’m pretty sure it’s loads. Muric had a shocker yesterday. And a lack of confidence in him spread to the rest. Especially in that 5 min period before HT. Even the likes of top 4 will occasionally know they’re under pressure with half time approaching - they hoof it. 1-1 and a re-set in dressing room? for me the second half might look very different. Let’s hope KM can get that message across.

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Len_Brennan added 05:25 - Oct 6 I didn't see the game yesterday, due to family commitments, so I can't comment on the performance particularly, but for those saying that we need to move Omari back to the the right side of 3, I would think that there will be very few, if any, games this season where he will start on that side. The role of Burns, & also of Ogbene, in the side is to offer protection to the full back on that side, which is certainly needed at PL level. They effectively play as a wingback when out of posession and double up on right sided forwards & attacking fullbacks. Watching the Villa game live, I thought Ogbene was very poor, as I was judging him on his lack of attacking threat, but watching it back I could see how deep he was playing. Despite being weakly bundled off the ball ahead of the Rogers goal, he actually did a reasonable job in kerping Villa quiet down the left, working with Tuanzebe. I actually agree that Omari himself might be more creative on the right, as he would find more space & be less likely to turn into as much trouble as he has when in the middle, but it's also about finding the best balance for the team as a whole, and at this level we cannot afford to leave ourselves open on one side, especially if Tuanzebe is out; the quality of opposition is just too strong.

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Len_Brennan added 05:28 - Oct 6 * double up on LEFT SIDED forward
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poet added 06:12 - Oct 6 This was undoubtedly our worst performance of the season so far. They’ll be those that have green eyes talking of relegation, but that’s to be expected from those that support inferior clubs. We missed Tuenzebe, I’m sorry to say Johnson is no substitute for him. He was caught out of position, not strong enough, and far too hesitant. If Tuenzebe is to be out for a while, then in my opinion, Harry Clarke has to cover for him. One of the reasons that Burns was below par, was that he had to cover for Johnson. As for Muric, well the writing was on the wall after the Man City game. He’s capable of making great saves, but equally, he’s capable of making horrendous blunders. His antics yesterday must have been demoralising to the rest of the squad.

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Dissboyitfc added 07:02 - Oct 6 I was really upset on hearing this result, so much so i couldn't come on hear to read about it! Unlike many i didnt predict a win today, thought a draw at best so a hiding from an out of form team hurts a lot! However poor results always happen, did last season and is even more likely this season. We will however like last season bounce back, i dont recall too many times when we were poor 2 games running! Keep the faith!

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Dissboyitfc added 07:08 - Oct 6 Also spot on from papashang, some will hurt after this result and if anything like me it will ruin the weekend! Everyone entitled to an opinion, but loving a town loss so they can gloat is quite frankly pathetic! Results like this are going to happen!
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