Premier League
West Ham United 0-5 Manchester City 

Saturday, 10th August 2019
by Chris Wilkerson

West Ham United started their 2019/20 Premier League season with a 5-0 home defeat as champions Manchester City cruised through as easy an opener as they could have asked for.



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Player Ratings

Lukasz Fabianski
A touch harsh, especially when you have a penalty save chalked off, but he was beaten five times.


Ryan Fredericks
Recovery pace helps the team, especially centre backs scared of Sterling, but he has a season to prove his pace going forward isn?EUR(TM)t wasted by his own attacking output. His crossing was amateur.


Aaron Cresswell
His lack of pace in areas like the first goal, that?EUR(TM)s not new. The wingers cannot leave him exposed, the midfield and the centre backs must surely know too. Some of his other play, unable to pressure Mahrez, was really poor. Waiting for Masuaku to take his place.


Issa Diop
Part of a pairing that let in multiple goals through the middle, whilst the penalty was clumsy. All that said, he made an amazing tackle on Sterling at one point that has to been seen to be believed.


Fabian Balbuena
Maybe his worst game for West Ham. Not helped that the enduring image will be the averagely paced De Bruyne burning away from him like a Ferreri against mobility scooter.


Declan Rice
There were some tackles in there that were excellent. But this was also a game where he made sloppy mistakes on the ball, the kind of passes and errors that a top side would look down upon. That these were notable, in a game where he still managed 91% pass accuracy, either suggests they were aberrations or the standards he?EUR(TM)s set have him then judged harshly.


Jack Wilshere
Criticism of his suitability in a midfield two is already around, but he got up and down the pitch well, seemed to be leading the effort to press, moved with the ball well.


Felipe Anderson
Felipe Anderson does not want to run. His desire to stand about 40 yards from goal and saunter forward, followed by a layoff to someone moving or an ambitious pass, is a very frustrating habit. If he is made to run by the passing of his teammates, he is much more effective, but he needs someone to take control of his game. His heatmap showed a spot on the right where he spends far too much time.


Manuel Lanzini
Appeared disrupted by Fornals' substitute appearance, but that may just be that City stepped up their game. In the first half, he seemed key to every attack. His own heatmap shows an influence in nearly every area of midfield. Most touches, most passes, most dribbles - for West Ham - but faded dramatically. Did nearly score, in the only glimpse of West Ham playing football in the second half.


Michail Antonio
Whilst his low pass accuracy (60%) is always going to contrast with what Pellegrini demands, he is absolutely different to every other option and his running in behind does seem to allow for Haller to drop in and play football with the midfield. He is also an option to attack crosses with the big forward, which may not be aesthetically what Pellegrini wants, but is clearly threatening. Wrongly replaced.


Sebastien Haller
Comparisons to Kanoute and Ashton have been there, but he reminds me of Teddy Sheringham, but not with the legs of the one we got. Ended with 91% pass accuracy after 100% in the first half. As a striker, dropping deep against the team in the league who are the best at winning it back with quick tackles and interceptions. His chest control was phenomenal. Quiet second half, not really his fault, is enough to give him a middle of the road rating. Promising.



Substitutes

Pablo Fornals
(Replaced Antonio) Looked a bit lost, certainly not adapted to the pace of the Premier League, and he came on against a charged up City. As rude an awakening as you can get, he?EUR(TM)ll need time to get used to it. Quite anonymous.


Robert Snodgrass
(Replaced Wilshere) For what he was brought on to do, he didn?EUR(TM)t do it. No tackles or interceptions, his five rating basically boosted because he put in the cross that gave Diop a great headed chance.


Javier Hernandez



Roberto Jimenez Gago
Did not play.


Pablo Zabaleta
Did not play.


Angelo Ogbonna
Did not play.


Carlos Sanchez
Did not play.



Match Facts

West Ham United: Lukasz Fabianski, Ryan Fredericks, Aaron Cresswell, Issa Diop, Fabian Balbuena, Declan Rice, Jack Wilshere, Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lanzini, Michail Antonio, Sebastien Haller.

Goals: None.

Booked: Fabian Balbuena 61 Felipe Anderson 62        .

Sent off: None.

Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Silva (Foden 80), De Bruyne (Gundogan 79), Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus (Aguero 69).

Subs not used: Bravo, Cancelo, Otamendi, Bernardo Silva.

Goals: Jesus (25), Sterling (51, 76, 90+1), Aguero (86).

Booked: Walker (87), Sterling (90+3).

Sent off: None.

Referee: Mike Dean.

Attendance: 59,870.

Man of the Match: Sebastien Haller.