Man City 3 West Ham Utd 1 (28/09/09)

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prophet:marginal
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Man City 3 West Ham Utd 1 (28/09/09)

Post by prophet:marginal »

Thick and fast these away games in the North West, aren't they? A 4th such match since mid-August beckons.

Looks like I'll be watching this through my fingers in the pub.

In my view, we desperately need better link between midfield and attack. Hopefully Jiminez can be coaxed onto the pitch for once? Or maybe Collison will be back in action? Behrami's availability seems unclear too. Diamente, Hines and Cole each offer a different threat going forward, but there a only few signs that they are starting to gel as a unit, meaning our threat seems limited, at least to a degree, to set pieces.

As for defence, I'm praying that Upson is ok and was only kept out at the Reebok as a precaution. He and Green will need to be on the very top of their games for what is clearly the most daunting away trip so far for us.

City seem to have problems only in attack, but these are the kind of problems that frankly we'd pray for. Only Tevez and Bellamy available, the poor guys. Right down to bare bones!

From what I've seen so far from Manchester City, they attack for fun, but also have hard-working wingers (especially SWP) who don't skip the defensive cover when it is necessary. De Jong patrols in front of their back 4, giving Ireland licence to roam further forward (and get on the end of moves).

The only 'weak spot' I can identify in the City team are its full backs. And they aren't weak; they're just not as stellar as the rest of that team. We fell to bits there last season. The whole team will need to work very hard as a unit to prevent a repeat of that result.

COYI :crest:
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Re: Match Thread - Man City -vs- West Ham 28.09.09

Post by JonG86 »

Their centre halves are prone to gaffs under pressure and are bailed out far to often by Shay Given.

Lescott is pony.
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Re: Match Thread - Man City -vs- West Ham 28.09.09

Post by clawhammer »

Watching through your fingers is about right. I have no optimism at all about this fixture.
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Re: Match Thread - Man City -vs- West Ham 28.09.09

Post by The Claret Pimpernel »

Lets hope your not counting the score on your fingers as well. As by half time you wont have enough left to cover your eyes and hold your pint.
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Re: Match Thread - Man City -vs- West Ham 28.09.09

Post by Henry Wilt »

No pretty graphics for this one Jon? Or do you not want to tempt fate again? :D
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Re: Match Thread - Man City -vs- West Ham 28.09.09

Post by Sloop John B »

Going to this. Fully expecting a comprehensive defeat, which kind of makes me stupidly optimistic.
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Re: Match Thread - Man City -vs- West Ham 28.09.09

Post by JonG86 »

Henry Wilt wrote:No pretty graphics for this one Jon? Or do you not want to tempt fate again? :D
As I said in the last match thread, I'm waiting for the Fulham home game!
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Re: Match Thread - Man City -vs- West Ham 28.09.09

Post by sendô »

Who is fit and available for this one then?

---------------------------Green-----------------------

Faubert------Tomkins------Upson------Illunga

--------------------------Parker-------------------------
--------Behrami-------------------Collison-------
-------------------------Jiminez------------------------

------------------Cole---------Diamanti---------------

The 4-3-3 hasn't worked that well for us of late, and with Citeh's attacking prowess, I can't help but feel that it would be folly to keep that formation. I realise I've probably contradicted myself with the inclusion of Jiminez, but I feel Noble needs a rest (I haven't seen much of Jiminez so don't really know what he is like defensively).

There could be scope for starting Hines and using Diamanti in the second half as an impact player due to the crazy haired italian's apparent lack of fitness, but I think it best to start with your best players on the pitch, and Hines seems the more likely to benefit from tired defenders.

It's hard to see the weakness in Citeh's team, for sure, but rest assured it is there. It always is. For me it is the defence, Toure and Lescott are not quite the players they are cracked up to be (that's not to say they are *****, far from it), and from what I can gather Richards hasn't progressed much from his cameo as England's RB all those years ago. If we can pressure them, or else hit them on the break, then we could benefit. Of course the trouble with playing counter attacking football is inviting them onto you, but to be fair we wont have to do that, they'll play to their strengths and attack as much as they can.

Of course another thing to our advantage is that they might well be expecting to win this, and so might be a bit complacent. Then again they might be fired up after losing at Old Trafford.

I'm glad we're getting this one out of the way early.

:crest:
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Re: Man City v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Matt of iron »

I reckon a team that put 3 past the Champions at Old Trafford shouldn't have to much trouble with us.
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Re: Man City v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by HarrowInnHammer »

Going to this one not overly optimistic, does anyone know how many tickets weve sold so far?
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Re: Man City v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by The Claret Pimpernel »

This would be my team for this one.

-----------------------Green--------------------------

------Tomkins-----Upson-------Gabbidon----

Faubert----------------------------------------Ilunga

-----Berhami----Parker----Collison------------

--------------Cole--------Hines---------------------

No nonsense team , hard working midfield, 5 at the back with Faubert and Ilunga working the wings when going forward. Cole and Hines should be a handful for any defense.
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Re: Man City v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Clacton-ammer »

Woe is me on this one, I'm already looking at the Fulham game :lol:
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Re: Man City v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by NE hammer »

I expect nothing less than a comprehensive drubbing.......
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Re: Man City v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by prophet:marginal »

NE hammer wrote:I expect nothing less than a comprehensive drubbing.......
That's the spirit!

Isn't it the West Ham way to confound predictions?
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Re: Man City v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Zatopek »

Confound predictions? About once every two years it is...... by getting knocked out the cup by Stockport or someone.

If we win this game I'll bare my arse in Percy Ingle's window.
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Re: Match Thread - Man City -vs- West Ham 28.09.09

Post by Rodney »

JonG86 wrote:Their centre halves are prone to gaffs under pressure and are bailed out far to often by Shay Given.

Lescott is pony.
Shame we haven't got a striker to take advantage of the pony lescott
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Re: Man City v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by HornchurchHammerDM »

I Reckon bellamy will score a hatrick!
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Re: Match Thread - Man City -vs- West Ham 28.09.09

Post by PrawnSandwich »

Hammer123 wrote: Shame we haven't got a striker to take advantage of the pony lescott
Zola is short enough to be a jockey maybe?
:thup:
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Re: Man City v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Hampshire Hammer »

I will fall back on my usual ill-placed optimism, same old West Ham lose the ones you expect to win and win those you have no chance with. So Citeh to have loads of chances, us to have one and away win 1-0. Think L'Arse away a few years ago with Zamora. Yes, I know I'm deluded and no I haven't been drinking. :lol: :lol:
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Re: Man City v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by btajim - mcfc »

Afternoon Gents and Gentesses. I'll keep this short as I'm due back from Lunch very shortly.

If any of you only saw City play last season in our corresponding League fixtures then I could certainly think of worse ways to demonstrate how 08/09 went. The Home win (3-0) saw some good Football and a winning start at The COMS for Mark Hughes and the Away defeat (1-0) saw us look out of sorts and presumably unable to score had the Match been played for an extra 3 hours. 10th was a disappointing finish given both the spending and the early exits in both domestic Cup Competitions at the hands of Lower League opposition. Forest in the FA Cup and Brighton in the Carling Cup. Only our run in the UEFA Cup gave us some cheer.

Perhaps it's 4 years of not living in the North West, and obviously, being surrounded by Man Ure 24/7, but I really didn't expect the levels of hosility raised by a significant percentage of our support to the appointment of an Ex-United player as Manager. Several Blues I know personally gave their Season Tickets up (and still haven't renewed) and it was hotly debated all season. He had a dodgy start which didn't help things at all. We dropped in to the bottom 3 by December and there were some problems at Matches when some of the Vocal element began voicing their disatisfaction. It now thankfully appears to have quietened down - but it was really frustrating to see a schism amongst the Fanbase when there was so much to get excited about.

Team wise, I think we'll look like

Given (best signing last season)

Richards / Zabaleta
Toure (c)
Lescott
Bridge

Barry (best signing this season)
De Jong
Ireland

Bellamy
Tevez
Wright-Phillips

The notable departures have been the long serving Richard Dunne who was let go after too many mistakes last season and the unsurprising move of Elano. Rumours of his problems at working with Hughes were circulated all season and he wasn't starting Matches. He's now at Galatasaray. I miss him - but c'est la vie. One player doesn't make a Team.

I'll be back soon to answer any questions about City or from anyone who wants advice on getting to the Match etc.

"If you can't talk proper shut your mouth" - :raver:
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