West Ham United (A) | Sun 7th Aug | Post Match Thread

- Thought we controlled the game really well. That's a tricky away game and +2 points over last season. They had a good opening minute, two minutes in the second half (which we punished) and shut up a rowdy opening day ground.

- Cancelo and Walker playing as midfielders. Not sure if that was just for today to take the pace out of the game, or if that's something we are going to be seeing regularly this season. Presumably trying to free up as much room in the centre? Someone more tactically astute than me (or someone at the game who had a better view) talk me through this?

- We already look like we are going to be hard to beat this season.

- Ake might quietly work his way into the first team with these sorts of performances. Good for him. Can't hurt having him hungry.

- Five subs! And all of them looked like they could change the pace and style. I'm sticking to the theory we have about three systems now to shift through. So much more tactically diverse.

- That young Haaland looks like a player to watch in the future.

- On to the next game. Doesn't look like a season that will afford a poor start, so I loved how professional we looked today.
 
p.taker said:
Hahahaha
7512416149dfddf3a8c4e2696c1f2dc2.jpg
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surprised that hasn't been photoshopped yet!
 
Great performance that against that lot who are hard to beat there, did it comfortably in the end.

Rodri looks like he's gone up another level, Grealish looked a lot better (outside of the predictable meltown in the match day thread) Ake & Dias were great at the back.

Haaland is something else. We all knew it but to see it finally was amazing. The second goal would've just scared the entire league.
 
On Pep using 5 subs today:

Perhaps Pep he will this season more consistently. Why?

1. The squad is more composed of rotation players who are either younger, have spent fewer year trying to become 1st 11 regulars as squad players (Zinch/Jesus), or are more accepting coming off the bench/less entitled to start (Raz/Bernardo) in Palmer, Phillips, Alvarez. If/when we sign someone to help with LB they will also surely be the same as Cucurella was expected to understand he would be a squad player.

2. With the WC coming in the middle of the season and most key players in the squad going, he may need to utilise it to maintain lower risk for injury as the season goes on and get away from what he is accustomed to.
 
balotelli's back pocket said:
That 2nd goal from Haaland - not only did I know he would score, but I actually saw the exact finish in my head when he was played through.
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Same here....

Then I thought of Jesus or Sterling running onto that ball...I loved both of those but it would have been 50-50 whether it would have ended in a goal or not...we saw it so many times....

Reminded me of how Henry use to finish those type of chances
 
BlueHammer85 said:
You’re a joke !
We should have just gave you the 3 points or played our reserves
More gutted Antonio and Fab are injured - really could of done without that

What to say about City ? Just a completely different level, every player world class
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Appreciated - recognise that you guys are dangerous, but we seemed to handle more or less everything comfortably today.
You did have one or two good chances tbh - think Rice's shot should have been on target.
 
We played the weather well (31°C pitch-side). Our general play kept with those tactics but we were a bit sloppy, and our final balls were poor… apart from when it mattered, and when it did matter Thor stepped up and punished them.

A brace on his debut, can’t ask for more than that!

3 points good start, COYB
 
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