West Ham Utd 0-5 Manchester City (10/08/19)

[S-H]

I agree Crouchy, it's especially hard against City though isn't it, the players must be torn, wanting desperately to go forward and attack, but at the same time conscious that City will catch you out and counter at pace, it's that sort of dilemma that will lead to hesitation, mistakes then chances/goals.

We only have to play them once more.

[simon hammer]

Not the best start by far, expected us to get at least one goal.

Hey ho, onwards and upwards.

[Beavis Danzig]

we had a bit of an odd approach where we take big chances in midfield trying to create somekind of opening to get an attack going, but when we actually did get an opening we were so happy to just be near their goal that we slowed it right down just to savour the moment instead of trying something with a bit of risk to it.

[dplus91]

Because it is not going to be used for decisions in previous phases of play. That has already been confirmed. Once man city get the ball the phase starts

If correct, that is truly stupid. They won the ball in a dangerous area due to a foul not spotted by the ref.

[SiO]

He was. And like the rest of the back six he shouldn't be beyond criticism.
The front lot weren't much better !

They aren't beyond criticism, merely I'm unlikely to criticize someone who I felt played well! Different opinions

[Sauce!]

Nothing game it was always a question of how many?

When was the last time we won the opening game?


Charlton 3-1 in 2006-7?

[bubbles1966]

Our final ball was pretty dreadful, but at least we kept a decent amount of possession (around 45%) first half.

We became worse in possession from the very beginning of the second half.

[chigwells finest]

We will batter plenty of teams this season, this I have no doubt ,
Not the result any of us expected / wanted

Move on to next week

[Cardiff here we come.....]

Do we ever complain to the Referee?

Why are we so quiet? Do you think Man City would put up with one of their players fouled, knocked to the floor 4 or 5 times & Ref gave f** all. Talking about Lanzini for us. Just a bang on the floor, a wry smile & gets on with it.....If it was City they would be surrounding the Ref & making comments to him 10 minutes after the incident.

Big sides have their way of exerting max pressure on the Referees. Silva claiming a corner after he took a shot, & was obvious it hit no WH player. Diop with the header that just went over, clipped the top of John Stones head, not one player claimed a corner (It was a corner). Those little things add up & the Ref feels compelled to give something later in the game.

Still not despondent, I think we'll have a very good season.

[JLCABA]

Had this game been 2nd week in March after we had strung together 3 wins and a draw Citeh would have still won 5-0 ...
Our disappointment and quit Frankly laughable outrage at such a mauling by one of the Worlds best teams is exacerbated by virtue of the fact it’s the opening day

IMHO we have exactly the amount of points I expected after today’s game and as it happens one goal worse goal difference than I expected

[Great-yarmouth-iron]

My two pennies worth I don't think we were THAT bad and 5-0 certainly flattered them. I dont understand how the penalty had to be retaken as thier players encroached aswell as ours . I was expecting to write off the first game of the season and why we keep getting a top 6 side baffles me. Roll on Brighton next week where hopefully we can kick start our season

[Crouchend_Hammer]

If correct, that is truly stupid. They won the ball in a dangerous area due to a foul not spotted by the ref.

I think that is the rules. Some things have to be left to the referee. Can't check everything

We benefitTed most from VAR in that game tbf as key decision when only 2-0

[MrHammer73]

Shows that we still need Captain Noble in the midfield. Wishere, Lazini and Forlans will be fighting for a spot in the other slot in central midfield, unless Forlans will be wide player.

[S-H]

Nothing game it was always a question of how many?

When was the last time we won the opening game?


Charlton 3-1 in 2006-7?

Doesn't help that we always seem to get a Sky big 4.. 5.. 6 team to start the campaign, every season.

Ah well, it is what it is, we will lose games this season but we will win games as well, so enjoy the highs but don't dwell on the lows, it's a different game nowadays, and one I'm finding harder and harder to care about.

[BethnalGreenHammer74]

When you have De Bruyne and David Silva out sprinting your team you know your in trouble.
Our players are so slow, unfit and do the basics of football wrong.
So many poor displays, apart From Haller, Antonio and Fredricks the rest didn’t turn up.
I don’t care what people say about City, no team should lose 0-5 to any team at home.
We have to many players who are the same, a cherry on the cake player when your dominating teams but look so languid and disinterested the other times.

[Peaches]

I think we need a bit of perspective. City are fantastic. Fabianski, and Balbuena looked rusty because they haven’t played much. Two goals were down to that. One was down to Creswell being exposed for pace..... like we didn’t know that was going to happen. Should be Arthur there all day. We simply do not have the players to compete with Cityon our best day let alone a bad day. I said in the transfer thread that we area couple of players away, well those players would have counted today.
Against most other opposition we will be fine. Two things bother me. 1) we looked very short of fitness. 2) we looked even shorter of leadership. Noble is constantly written off, but today we desperately missed him. If he was playing we would have got more out of the ref when City were cynically fowling us, and the players would have shown more character . Creswell is a complete joke of a Captain. We need two players ext Summer: Chillwell and a replacement for Noble. By that I don’t new get rid of Noble for anyone, but a leader In the middle of the park, ideally someone physically more imposing and more talented, but it is the leadership we desperately miss when he doesn’t play.
One big positive was Haller. Two words: World Class. He will destroy most teams with his movement, hold up play and control.

[S-H]

Our players aren't unfit, but when you are chasing the game for the majority of the 90mins, it takes it toll.

[dplus91]

I think that is the rules. Some things have to be left to the referee. Can't check everything

We benefitTed most from VAR in that game tbf as key decision when only 2-0

Maybe so but for me that is textbook what VAR should be for - a goal scored as a direct result of a foul. I foresee much controversy ahead if VAR isn't allowed to rule out goals resulting from fouls. In fact I'm pretty sure that's how it's been used in other tournaments.

[S-H]

Peaches

[bubbles1966]

My two pennies worth I don't think we were THAT bad and 5-0 certainly flattered them. I dont understand how the penalty had to be retaken as thier players encroached aswell as ours . I was expecting to write off the first game of the season and why we keep getting a top 6 side baffles me. Roll on Brighton next week where hopefully we can kick start our season

We get incrementally worse with each of the Fornals and Hernandez substitutions.

Going 442 against them in the last 25 minutes was asking for it.

Very much like the days of Slav.