Manchester City 2-0 West Ham Utd (19/02/20)

[Ironing Board]

Done ok at the Etihad last couple of years so hoping for Moyes defensive masterclass again like in 2017. I remember everyone was predicting a cricket score but we should have have got something from the game. Wouldn't be surprised if Moyes goes with Antonio up front like he did then as it's not really a match for Haller.

Good shout - might also teach the big lump a lesson. He will be missing out on a big match due to his lazy performances.

[Jumby]

We are sitting ducks, no chance of us doing one of our mythical 'classic West Ham' performances and pulling it out of the bag, we'll go there and be rolled over.

[Hammer_Up_North]

First time ive been to city away without driving so not sure where to drink before the game. Im getting the train into Manchester Victoria so if anyone knows where the majority of hammers will be meeting up before the game?

[btajim - mcfc]

I understand many away fans go to The Printworks which is a short walk for you from Victoria. The Bierkeller in there is as good a place as any. Printworks.

If you're up from Euston on the train then you'll get in to Piccadilly. There's a number of bars and pubs in town too. There was a great gang of Hammers in The Waldorf one time. Doc H Ball came in too.

Until later!

[il_martello_di_genovesi]

I also think West Ham can frustrate

Nope, I wish were able to do so. We tried to frustrate Leicester and lost 4-1. We tried to shut up shop against Brighton at 3-1 and drew 3-3. We can’t defend under pressure and we seem to lack the concentration to frustrate teams with any sort of defensive shape.

[Ironing Board]

They have had a full week to prepare - I would hope that would foster some improvement

[TheKippaxYears]

Sterling out is not frankly very good for you. He's been gash for weeks, not only in my view, but in the view of many other City supporters. Only Pep seems to be seeing something that none of us are.
Meanwhile, we've got Gabriel Jesus warming his backside on the bench most of the time. He works his socks off, and he's in terrific form this season. There's a theory that Pep won't play Jesus and Aguero up front, because they ‘don't work’ together. That is bs and I call it as such. If there's a front line of Aguero, Jesus and Mahrez, well, look out…

[TheKippaxYears]

If any of you get in early enough and you feel like eating somewhere with a little bit of class, try the Pasta Factory, in the Northern Quarter. (Then not too far from there to pick up the tram or bus out to the Etihad). Excellent. Of course, it helps if you like pasta…
The Wetherspoon's, also known as the Waterhouse, over on Princess Street close to the Town Hall, has a fair selection of real ales, and does a decent fish, chips and mushy peas…the Lass O'Gowrie which is not very far from Piccadilly station also has some good ales, and is a pub with ‘character’, as they say.
All personal preferences, obviously.

[Up the Junction]

Percy's match preview, in video form...

[Ironing Board]

Sterling out is not frankly very good for you. He's been gash for weeks, not only in my view, but in the view of many other City supporters. Only Pep seems to be seeing something that none of us are.
Meanwhile, we've got Gabriel Jesus warming his backside on the bench most of the time. He works his socks off, and he's in terrific form this season. There's a theory that Pep won't play Jesus and Aguero up front, because they ‘don't work’ together. That is bs and I call it as such. If there's a front line of Aguero, Jesus and Mahrez, well, look out…

What gash - Sterling is their best player behind De Bruyne. Just because he is having a bad run of form, it does not mean he will not just as quickly find it again. Jesus is a good player, dont get me wrong, but not a dangerman to the extent of Sterling. Even when he is in bad form, he creates so much space for everyone else with his movement.

[Da Vinci]

My prediction is postponed due to safety concerns over storm Ciara.

[Faithless]

They have had a full week to prepare - I would hope that would foster some improvement

I doubt it, it's not a coaching issue, it's a confidence and character issue. Something our team lacks from back to front in abundance. To stand any chance of staying up we need to get the best sports psychologist imaginable in and pay them a £1m bonus if we stay up...

...now for my totally irrational C&B spectacles wearing prediction: 1-2 to the mighty irons!

[Ironing Board]

I doubt it, it's not a coaching issue, it's a confidence and character issue. Something our team lacks from back to front in abundance. To stand any chance of staying up we need to get the best sports psychologist imaginable in and pay them a £1m bonus if we stay up...

...now for my totally irrational C&B spectacles wearing prediction: 1-2 to the mighty irons!

Good call!

[traxop]

Nah, even if we do look like going anywhere with the ball, each city player will commit 8 or more fouls each with only one of them getting a yellow card in the 88th minute.

It's not that they will commit more fouls. It's our unwillingness to commit fouls to breakup play ourselves. Yes, we might not get away with it unlike the 'big' teams but we still need to use tactical fouling to break up play nonetheless - which is something our midfield are either unwilling or unable to do.

Also another problem when it comes to fouls is our lack of nonce in taking contact to gain a foul/free kick. We know Snoddy has a decent delivery yet the likes of Antonio or Lanzini still try to go down inside their box, where unless it's stone cold, the penalty shout will most likely be waved away. The smart thing to do is to take the contact away from the box(within delivery distance, but where the call won't be automatically reviewed by VAR). That'll allow us to load up in their box.

Just to highlight the lack of football nonce, if we were to go back to the Brighton game, we were hanging on for the last 15 and yet our CBs were coming out of the line to foul their players 25 out and in a central position.

If Fab. hadn't save that free kick we could've lost that game. It begs the question why Ogbonna waited until the last 15 to suddenly become proactive. It reminds me of that Leicester game last season where Ogbonna rushed out with us leading 2-1 with 5-10 mins. left to play, leaving a gap behind and a through-ball found Barnes(?) for the equaliser. Why did Ogbonna felt the need to rush out, and where were our midfielders in those instances? A total lack of footballing intelligence shown by our players - and still people harp on about effort, heart, blah, blah, blab. Less individual mistakes, more quality and a bit more nonce is really what's needed.

[Hugh Jargon]

I'm scared. Pardon?

[Beavis Danzig]

play a fearless 433 with antonio, bowden and anderson up top and fornals in midfield with soucek and rice and we might just get something.

cower in passive moysian defensiveness and we'll be beaten before we kick a ball.

[MooresTheHero]

play a fearless 433 with antonio, bowden and anderson up top and fornals in midfield with soucek and rice and we might just get something.

cower in passive moysian defensiveness and we'll be beaten before we kick a ball.

[Liam]

play a fearless 433 with antonio, bowden and anderson up top and fornals in midfield with soucek and rice and we might just get something.

cower in passive moysian defensiveness and we'll be beaten before we kick a ball.

Yes please.

Although I’d concede keeping snodgrass in as the ballplayying midfielder.

[Caniggia90]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and predict a defeat. Call me crazy, but I think man city will surprise us.

[chigwells finest]

They have had a full week to prepare - I would hope that would foster some improvement

i guarantee we'll be 1 down in the first 5 minutes , any preparation will go out the window