CCR3: Manchester Utd 0-1 West Ham Utd (22/09/21)

[Georgee Paris]

That makes a change from your normal gloomy pre - match predictions. Forecasting 5-0 and 3-0 defeats

I used to put a few quid on us wining every game 5-0 (in the bookies in-between Plaistow station and the Vic) one game at the Boleyn we were beating Burnley 5-0 and everyone around me in the crowd knew about my bets and I told them we’d all go out and have some beers and possibly hit a strip club… I was half way thru phoning my mum celebrating my windfall when everyone around me was pushing and jostling me - I had no idea what was going on… I got off the phone and it was 5-2… gambling’s a mugs game.

[Felixstowesfinest]

Mark noble done himself proud yesterday
His Best game for a while
Woulda topped it with that chance at the end
Great win

[sendô]

This is a fantastic result.

We played a second XI and won at Old Trafford. What was that about the squad being thin?

Diop was excellent, Johnson decent, Kral good in patches, Noble industrious.

We might have scored another 3 or 4 in that last ten minutes.

[Puff Daddy]

I used to put a few quid on us wining every game 5-0 (in the bookies in-between Plaistow station and the Vic) one game at the Boleyn we were beating Burnley 5-0 and everyone around me in the crowd knew about my bets and I told them we’d all go out and have some beers and possibly hit a strip club… I was half way thru phoning my mum celebrating my windfall when everyone around me was pushing and jostling me - I had no idea what was going on… I got off the phone and it was 5-2… gambling’s a mugs game.

Yeah, but that was before we signed Issa Diop

[Billy Hunt]

Mark noble done himself proud yesterday
His Best game for a while
Woulda topped it with that chance at the end
Great win

Agree, he did. You'd not expect our furthest man forward to be Noble in the closing minutes of a match, but he was and was unlucky not to score. We will miss him when he hangs those boots up for good.

We come out of that game with a lot of credit, shows that other than a shoe in striker we have pretty good squad depth. The team spirit shines through doesn't it.

The centre back pairing were excellent, as was Bowen who gave his all. Fantastic win

Noble on Lingard was a penalty, Matic was fortunate not to be punished for the knee in the nuts and the studs up on Lanzini - wonder what VAR would have made of those ...?

[bubbles1966]

Excellent result .

We played some very nice attacking football in the first ten minutes and following the timely introduction of Vlasic and Fornals in the final quarter.

I thought the injury to Fred was the thing that drained some of the impetus from us first half as it was obvious he couldn't run properly in the period where he tried to play through the knock. Coufal on the bench just demonstrates the depth.

Easy to see why Liverpool are interested in Bowen. Put him in the 9 role and he does the same as Firmino - runs, hassles, creates.....must have been central to at least ten good goal-scoring opportunities either for himself or others across the two games against Man U. Needs a goal himself, of course, but that's all that's lacking for the time being.

Nice to see Lanzini score. Still a very good player if the opposition are daft enough to give him time.

Centre halves were excellent, while Vlasic and Fornals added a lot to our counter-attacking game when they came on.

Vlasic seems to be getting up to pace to me. He's looking quicker and sharper with each outing.

Areola and Kral had some nervy moments but were fine overall, and seemed to settle as the game went on. Areola is going to be one of those keepers who is going to punch everything or use his feet. One thing I did like was his positioning for a ball Man U played over the top. More sweeper-keeper than Fab in that respect.

Kral inevitably reminds of Feillaini with his physique and haircut. He's also not the quickest moving of players, and his quarter-to-three feet add to the unconventional look. He did however move well into space in the attacking third on a number of occasions at the start, while I couldn't help but enjoy watching him physically manhandle and barge Man U players off the ball on a few occasions in the second half. He might be a player who needs some time building up his game and physical readiness for PL football, but he's more like Feillaini than Soucek is.

Excellent stuff, West Ham.

Oh, and I quite like Jon Moss as a referee - have done ever since that Leicester game in 2016. I told Mrs Bubbs he gets the "You're too fat to referee" and she told me that was cruel and he might get a complex. We should instead offer some kindly advice like "Your BMI's too high" instead

[Reg Stretch]

Diop superb last night...gutted fredericks got injured as was causing probs...areola and kral have the potential to be the new Roberto and kovac however at the same time both could easily end up being the complete opposite and a couple of cult heroes.... early days

[dave_l]

That was a delightful result and performance. Clean sheet at Old Trafford is nothing to be sniffed at by any means despite no Ronaldo and Fernandes.

I'm oddly confident about Citeh. Famous last words.

[Puff Daddy]

Diop superb last night...gutted fredericks got injured as was causing probs...areola and kral have the potential to be the new Roberto and kovac however at the same time both could easily end up being the complete opposite and a couple of cult heroes.... early days

.. and Johnson. I really like that lad. He's really cool

[prophet:marginal]

Another way of looking at our options, after last night's match, is that Lanzini, in our 7th match, across 3 competitions, became our 7th scorer so far

Cress
Benrahma
Soucek
Antonio

Fornals

Rice

Lanzini

[Aceface]

Diop has been excellent his last three main outings, if you include the Celtic friendly.

Which is brilliant news given the amount of rotation required this season.

[aboooooooooo]

Diop has been excellent his last three main outings, if you include the Celtic friendly.

Which is brilliant news given the amount of rotation required this season.

Agree. I thought MOTM went to the wrong centre half. Diop was intercepting and throwing himself around like I had never seen from him before. Maybe having his pal in goal helped him protecting the clean sheet?

Kral. I though was busy, and did exactly what we needed from him. Bowen... Wow... That lad must be in pieces today. I know the stats are out there somewhere but Christ knows how many runs off the ball he has made, and how many "Doggies" completed in the past 2 games. Maybe Moyes knew what he was doing all along.

Good all round performance, and I love how Johnson goes about his work. Little fuss, fewer mistakes and comfortable on the ball.

Keep it up lads!

[Kev59]

That result deserved a kinder draw in the next round! Man City, unbeaten in the Carabao Cup since 2016 and the games is 48 hours after we play Sp*rs. Apart from that, I'm brimming with optimism.

[HammerMan2004]

Bowen... Wow... That lad must be in pieces today. I know the stats are out there somewhere but Christ knows how many runs off the ball he has made, and how many "Doggies" completed in the past 2 games. Maybe Moyes knew what he was doing all along.

As good as Diop and Dawson were. Bowen was my man of the match for this reason.

The great news is Antonio, Fornals, Benrahma, and Vlasic can all start against Leeds and in turn, give Bowen a bit of a break if he needs it.

[Aceface]

Bowen... Wow... That lad must be in pieces today. I know the stats are out there somewhere but Christ knows how many runs off the ball he has made, and how many "Doggies" completed in the past 2 games.

One thing about Bowen is how rarely he gets flagged offside given all the darting about he does. It shows a high level of discipline and intelligence. He does need to start putting some of the chances away though – no goals in 7 games so far this season. Hardly a crisis but will make all the difference if he can start adding a few more clinical finishes to all the hustle-bustle.

[Bucksexile]

Fabulous result and it could / should have been better at the end.

Some real fantastic performances by a few with a point to prove: Issa and Dawson at the back were rock solid... Bowen continues to show he has more than enough to his game to be a good Moyes striker. Some nervous but ultimately decent debuts by Areola and Kral.

A win away to Man U with our fringe players when Man U had about 250 million quids worth of talent on the pitch... can't knock that.

This just shows the depth we do have in this squad.

Totally agree. Could not have said it better.

Nice to have bragging rights for a few days.

[The Old Man of Storr]

That was a delightful result and performance. Clean sheet at Old Trafford is nothing to be sniffed at by any means despite no Ronaldo and Fernandes.

Fernandes did put in an appearance on my TV - Martin Tyler got excited each time he touched the ball .


Listening to the BBC Round-up of last night's game this morning made me smile - Ronaldo was mentioned more than Lanzini .

What the f*** is wrong with these people ????

[Georgee Paris]

Nice that it was in front of 72,000 fans as well

[funky chicken]

If last night demonstrated one thing it was the fact that competition really is good for the squad.

Just look at the performances from our defence. Diop was blooming awful in almost every game he played in last season. A complete liability. And Dawson has had a very shaky start to the season. Being at fault for some goals. We signed Zouma and just look at their reactions to that signing now they’ve been pushed onto the bench. Dawson was immense and Diop was just as superb. As he was also against Dinamo Zagreb. Fredericks as well has also played well when he’s played as he knows Coufal is first choice for the time being. Johnson delivered a very assured performance.

That’s what competition for places does for the squad and that’s how you improve.

Don’t get me wrong the players equally need to have the right attitude too. Dawson and Diop could easily go out onto the pitch and sulk. But thankfully they both have the right attitude. They want to remind the manager what they can also offer. And we can only benefit from that.

[The Old Man of Storr]

Fredericks as well has also played well when he’s played as he knows Coufal is first choice for the time being. Johnson delivered a very assured performance.

That’s what competition for places does for the squad and that’s how you improve.

Had to feel for Fredericks last night - that nutmeg and run into the penalty area was something you'd expect from someone at Manchester City - had he completed the 90 minutes [ and the result stayed the same ] I think he'd be in line for a start against Leeds Utd .
Hope he recovers quickly .