West Ham United (A) | PL | Post-Match Thread

[OB1]

I thought he should have headed the volley in the air.

OK :)

 

[cleavers]

Walker is my culprit for their goal.
He had everything in front of him and could see what was happening. He needed to turn on the burners a lot sooner. As soon as Doku lost it.
He looks like he's ball watching.

Yeah he should have been pressurising Ward-Prowse at least, making the header more difficult, but otherwise he had a good game though.

 

[herrock]

If we are investigating dark arts I want that very suspicious looking yellow Lucas Paquetá got in the closing minutes had a look at. ;)

I was expecting city fans to burst out with a suitable song when that happened!

 

[OB1]

I think we should remember who wasn't available today, we really have put together a brilliant squad, we won't miss those who have gone elsewhere.

Some very important players missing yesterday.

Our squad is very talented but it's not large, our bench didn't have much in the way of game changers and even had the legend that is Scotty Carson making up the numbers. I didn't count but not sure we even had a full compliment of subs.

Hoping Oscar Bobb is going to star making an impact from the bench.

 

[OB1]

Oh I agree, but I was just pointing out that we won 6 on the bounce not 5 as the poster stated.

I was just following on in that little thread. :)

 

[cleavers]

Some very important players missing yesterday.

Our squad is very talented but it's not large, our bench didn't have much in the way of game changers and even had the legend that is Scotty Carson making up the numbers. I didn't count but not sure we even had a full compliment of subs.

Hoping Oscar Bobb is going to star making an impact from the bench.

We were one short, even with Carson on there.

I agree about Bobb, when I've watched him for the EDS, I've largely been underwhelmed, but he's looked good in his 2 short cameos so far.

Eek....

Manchester City have started a league campaign with five consecutive victories for the fifth time in their history, after 1897-98, 1912-13, 2015-16 and 2016-17, although their highest finish in any of those campaigns was third.

 

[OB1]

Every season, it takes us 6/8 weeks to hit our precision groove and some of these points are bonus points. Gvardiol is a Rolls Royce and Doku looks like the sort of quality rapid winger that Bayern normally sign. Both are frighteningly good. And no Kev, Jack and John !! In the same way that winning the F1 World Championship usually results in the driver becoming better as a result, I'm of the view that winning the Champions League makes us a better team. Without being cocky, the self belief has intensified. West Ham gave us a few scares today and were awkward, but at no point did I think we wouldn't win. Take a bow Julian!!

We can only go on what we have seen so far and the signs are encouraging.

You would expect getting the Champions League monkey off our backs would make a difference - on the pitch and in the stands.

Mentality is a huge part of success in elite sport and under Pep it has consistently improved at City. Yesterday the current strength of City's was on full display. They just kept going, doing what they were doing. I know Pep changed some things at HT but fundamentally they stuck to the plan, didn't panic or chase it and were so comfortable and in control after taking the lead. Haaland typified the elite mentality: he "missed" quite a few but just laughed it off and settled matters with a world class finish.

 

[OB1]

Ward Prowse delivery is spot on almost every time. Top class dead ball striker.

True but he wouldn't get in our first XI, which is why we didn't buy him.

 

[AirbagsOptionalTheReturn]

Re watched the game. The hammers played well but were so negative for most of the game it made it look like they player better than they did. If Earl put the 2 glaring (nearly open goal) misses away and had a bit of luck for a couple of the other ones, we could have been talking about a right thrashing here and the narrative would have been the hammers were poor. They were not it’s just that we played that well. I think we are only at 70% right now as well so this could be some season

 

[OB1]

lets be honest we didnt play well yesterday and if haaland had his shooting boots on still should have won by 5 or 6 to 1, thats not being arrogant thats just watching the game, that must make the opposition nervous and thats without four of our supposedly better players.

You think we didn't play well yesterday! My word.

 

[Blueroses]

I think there is a balance to be struck. I don't mind adding a bit of chaos in parts of the game but we need to then tighten the control elsewhere. As fun as yesterday was their first goal kills you dead in the latter stages of the CL. Gives Pep plenty to work with though, and if we can get the balance right we can add to our game.

I can't believe that we have added another string or two to our now, and bedded a bunch of young exciting players in, the season after a treble.

Absolutely! This was why we kept losing in champions league with being caught in counter especially with high line. Grealish was missed for this and hopefully we can find balance soon.

 

[OB1]

I was expecting city fans to burst out with a suitable song when that happened!

There were comments made in the away end but no song.

 

[richards30]

I thought it was a much better performance than is seemingly being given credit for? Even across the media, closer than the score line suggests, city struggled to break them down, no creativity etc yet Erling should have had at least 3 , Areola made at least 4 top class saves and we had 30 attempts on goal?

 

[mancboy]

You think we didn't play well yesterday! My word.

maybe im just quite spoilt, i dont think we werent at our free flowing best

 

[fathellensbellend]

have to laugh at the thick fuckers on the West Ham forum, clown after clown calling City boring, without one mentioning that their whole tactic is to defend deep with the whole team and then to try and hit the space in behind, and have done the exact same things for tears with little or no success

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

Absolutely! This was why we kept losing in champions league with being caught in counter especially with high line. Grealish was missed for this and hopefully we can find balance soon.

Think Ake and Stones will help a lot. Though honestly it feels like we've got a more diverse tool kit than last year. We can unlock a packed defence with more than Kev's right, which can't hurt. Exciting times.

 

[OB1]

I thought it was a much better performance than is seemingly being given credit for? Even across the media, closer than the score line suggests, city struggled to break them down, no creativity etc yet Erling should have had at least 3 , Areola made at least 4 top class saves and we had 30 attempts on goal?

People underestimate our performances all the time. I'm sure if I counted up how many games someone on here said we played shit it would point to a miracle that we won even won trophy let alone three.

Let's face it, around half our performances will be below average (we don't need a discussion on averages). Our standards are so high that I think people lose perspective.

Yesterday wasn't faultless. The goal conceded was very frustrating. The team will always have room for imrpovement but that's a challenge that Pep loves, that drive for perfection, which is impossible.

 

[cleavers]

You think we didn't play well yesterday! My word.

It was a weird take on the game, I thought we were class for the most part, as did most pundits.

 

[Ducado]

West Ham are this season’s early runners happens every season, they put on a good run for the first quarter of the season and then start to fade mainly because other teams adjust their tactics to counter, we played them at about the best they will be this season and beat them, it was a great result

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

I thought it was a much better performance than is seemingly being given credit for? Even across the media, closer than the score line suggests, city struggled to break them down, no creativity etc yet Erling should have had at least 3 , Areola made at least 4 top class saves and we had 30 attempts on goal?

The standards and expectations of this City team have become sky high, not just in the media but with our own fans. I suppose in its own way it's a big compliment, but it can be funny after away games like here and Sheffield United where we are excellent, dominate the ball, make a dozen good chances, reduce the opposition to a couple of chances, and everyone is like "we struggled to get out of second gear".