West Ham (A) - EFL Cup R4 - Post-Match Thread

Bobby the blue said:
Always a shame to lose on penalties. Strange sort of game where we more or less bosses the game without looking that threatening. The introduction of Jesus,Foden and Grealish made a difference but in that period it would have been great to have been able to put a number 9 on to go for the win.

Don’t want to go over the negatives too much but it’s clear the cycle for some of this squad is coming to an end and could do with a freshen up. Would hopefully keep pep interested if we had an overhaul but it’s easier said than done.

pleased for the Hammers though. Decent bunch and would be nice to see them in the final. One of their fans gave my daughter his programme at the train station after chatting with him and generally a pleasant day out apart from the amount of stairs to climb to get to our seats.

As a side as I mentioned before it was my six year old daughters first game. Been a bit apprehensive as she is so young but she had the time of her life. She has just got up and started singing the Mcfc ok song, luckily they are the only words she picked up on. She also loved the yaya song and the oles at the wheel.
When we got to the ground it was quite loud on the concourse with the singing and she got a bit scared so I took her away from it all and explained they were just having fun. 5 minutes later I said to her we will go sit down. With that she replied “ no can’t we can back to the boys singing”
Put her to bed late last night and she kept her city top on to sleep in. Very proud Dad And city fan.

Yes it was shit to lose but being able to watch city with the best fans in the country there is nothing else like it. Even though there was a lot of pissesd up blues as soon as they saw me trying to get through the concourse or up the stairs everyone made way or helped out to create space. Made my girl feel very comfortable and welcomed and she wants to go back. Can’t ask for more than that.

Up the blues.
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Have you been able to explain to her mum why she's singing Christian Ronaldo is a sex offender yet ?
 
Xhavenjoe said:
We've won the league 3 times in the last 4 seasons and Carabao cup 4 times.
I see no connection with the Carabao Cup being a distraction at the final stages of the Champions league.
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Well in that time we've not won the Champions League have we? Yes we made the final last year, but in those prior seasons we kepy getting dumped out far too early.
 
Thought they were lucky as fuck, to be honest. Areola saved them.

I'd not mind if they were going to go on and win it but you can guarantee they'll be knocked out by a weaker team before the final as is their standard.
 
Didsbury Dave said:
Sorry to hear that EB. It was a lot easier to not give a damn by sitting at home, switching off my glitchy illegal stream straight off and getting in the bath. I even consoled myself that it's been a long long time since we lost a penalty shootout, so that monkey is off our back if we get a more important one.

I almost took my boys actually. I definitely would have given a damn if I'd have had a four hour journey home.
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I had to get back to Oxfordshire, which did involve The Tube across London from where we parked. Dreadful ground to get away from but wasn't overly bothered by the "defeat" - hate losing any game but we were bound to run out of luck in this competition.
 
bellbuzzer said:
There were moments when a comparison with basket-ball could be made.
The match was played in a way rarely seen these days, e.g.,the lack of cynical fouls, simulation of sniper activity, mobbing the officals, and shithousery in general. The Carabou makes this attitude possible, great to win, but not the end of the world if you lose. Pep's body language and the foul count from both teams seems to back this up. For a 0-0, probably the most entertaining 90 mins so far, but, for me it was like being a neutral at a game between two teams i dont support; bit weird tbh. Pretty sure the sponsors are delighted at City's role in lifting the public perspective of the comp.
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I know exactly what you mean. I would have cheered if we scored and was of course willing Steffan to save the last one but I honestly believe that our pursuit of the domestic cups, whilst has led to some great memories, has hampered our pursuit of the Champions League.
 
youngbob said:
It's hardly panic stations. Away to a PL side in the cup playing a slightly weaker side, anything can happen. Straight to penalties means it turns into a lottery faster and after four amazing years we're finally not going to be able to win the Carabao. Big whup. After four consecutive glorious wins I'm not gonna complain. I thought we played well enough to win, and but for their goalkeeper we'd have sailed to a 2-0 victory and that would have been that.

My biggest concerns are Kevin and Sterling, though. Kevin because it looks like "playing himself back into form" isn't really going to plan (something Pep acknowledged last night); Sterling because he's a near-busted flush that we have to keep playing because other players need resting. I hope he gets the move he clearly wants because whatever love was there between him and us is really beginning to go now. To me, he will always be The Very Good Boy (a nickname I gave to him in 2017) but I want him to be happy elsewhere instead of miserable with us.

Quietly as well, as much as there's enthusiasm about Palmer, I don't think he's anywhere near the level Foden was at his age. He was bullied off the ball and dispossessed quite a lot last night, I thought. I want to be proved wrong but I feel like, whenever he has the ball, I'm willing him to do something because I want him to do well. With Foden he just sort of did it anyway, and Pep trusted him in massive games during that 18/19 run-in. I'm not writing Palmer off, obviously, I just don't see what everyone else does.

I was pleased with Ake's performance last night, though, I have to say. He defended well and he moved the ball through midfield a lot quicker than he normally does. He's normally very indecisive and jittery but he was playing progressive, vertical passes through to Gundogan and Sterling for most of the night. It was also good to see Zinchenko slotting back in the fold so comfortably after a few weeks out.

It feels sad to say, but yeah this is definitely the end for Fernandinho. He did okay last night, but you get the feeling he can't quite manage games in the same way anymore because he's 36 and the pace has gone beyond him. He'll know it more than anyone, I'm sure. There's nothing much to say about Gundogan and Mahrez. Gundogan's coming back from injury so he'll be up and down; Mahrez is always up and down anyway.

Beyond that, it's clear how much we miss Jack when he's not there. I don't know how long it's going to take for some people to understand that he's the perfect foil for other creative players in our team, but hopefully last night will show them exactly where he's missed. When he's not there, the link-up play does go stale in some periods of the match and the ideas don't quite flow with the same level of confidence. He reminds me a lot of Gareth Barry in the way you notice him more when he's not there.
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That's a very good appraisal, although I will dispute the Palmer critique.

I thought he was very good indeed, in a higher position than normal. He showed some really great moments when he got the ball in to his feet.

Foden is perhaps an unfair barometer, as he is a worldy. I do recall Foden getting sent off in an early Champions League game because he tried to play at 100mph and the ball kept whizzing by him.

Sad to accept that last season's Champions League final should have been Fern's last game.
 
Didsbury Dave said:
I know exactly what you mean. I would have cheered if we scored and was of course willing Steffan to save the last one but I honestly believe that our pursuit of the domestic cups, whilst has led to some great memories, has hampered our pursuit of the Champions League.
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Sorry I don`t believe winning the CC had anything to do with Pep`s team selection.
 
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