Jonathan Leko hailed for West Brom start

Boss Tony Pulis hailed 'fantastic' Jonathan Leko on the 17-year-old's full debut for West Brom but admitted his team were once again too wasteful in the final third.

After an impressive opening 30 minutes, the Baggies were outclassed by a Mark Noble-inspired West Ham team who put three goals past goalkeeper Ben Foster with no reply.

Pulis' side are now win-less in seven games and have lost three games in a row at the Hawthorns while failing to score in all three.

The Baggies had 15 shots compared to West Ham's eight, and Craig Gardner had two efforts cleared off the line in the first-half, including one superbly deflected behind by a back-tracking Michail Antonio.

Pulis said: "It's been so disappointing really, we needed a goal and a break. How Antonio clears that off the line I just don't know.

"I've watched it again and again and he's actually coming onto the goal.

"Usually it hits your foot and goes into the back of the net, but it's hit his foot and gone outside the goal. The break that we needed wasn't there."

After weathering the storm for the first half an hour, West Ham took the lead through a Cheikhou Kouyate header in the 34th minute before Noble stabbed home a second goal in first-half injury time.

Pulis said: "Their first two goals - one was a challenge off Fletch that goes straight to their lad, they cross it and score.

"Even the second one, in front of us we're well set up and it hit Dawson's toe and takes three of our players out of the game where Noble scores.

"Once you give West Ham that opportunity they've got some good players and are a good team.

"Noble was outstanding in midfield and they punished us. Again we had good chances in the second-half.

"Dawson should have scored, Saido could score two goals. He's had a volley and plenty of time. He usually sticks those in the back of the net and then there's the header at the end.

"We've had our chances again at home and we've not put them away."

The only positive to be taken from the game was the breathtaking performance on the right wing from Leko, who only turned 17 last Sunday.

The youngster sped past left-back Aaron Cresswell on several occasions in the first-half and was at the heart of all Albion's best moves.

Pulis said: "I thought he was fantastic. I think he's a bit similar to (Yannick) Bolasie at Palace.

"He has raw pace and talent and does things that are so instinctive. The kid could be a good player but he needs to learn the game and be put with professional people.

"When I was younger, you got taught by senior pros at an early age, where to be, what to do, how to do it. These kids need it.

"We've had three kids for around a month now in Jon, Sam (Field) and Tyler (Roberts). They've got better working with the players. They came in and were a little off the pace.

"But as it's gone on they've got better and the group has accepted them more and they're beginning to understand what it takes.

"Leko has got unbelievable talent but the important thing is he keeps his feet on he ground and doesn't get people like me blowing smoke up his backside."