Man City vs West Ham - Sunday, 3rd Dec, 16:00

imagelost

I only want add the word

thornburyiron

Mrs G I thought he could have done better with both of the goals and Moyes also thought that he should have gone better with the second. He did though pay tribute to Rice saying he's only 18 and he's playing against the top players.

Lukerz

Again we go to a back five and look like the players do indeed know what football is.

How long before the penny drops?

claretandbluesky

What I like about Rice is he doesn't hide, so young and had we less injuries and a better squad he should only be receiving gentle introductions to the premiership at this age, is being asked to hold his own at City against some of the best in the world and not hiding, I like him.

imagelost

No fear

grey_til_I_dye

Of all our young players I've seen in the last couple of years, he's the one who, to me, looks like he is already at the necessary level to be a PL player.

MrsGrey

I actually thought Fernandes was a weak link.

I don't doubt he has a lot of potential, but I think he needs to develop a bit more before he's really good enough to be a solid PL starter.

welovethehammers

grey_til_I_dye said:

Of all our young players I've seen in the last couple of years, he's the one who, to me, looks like he is already at the necessary level to be a PL player.

When I've seen him at u23 level he just seems a league apart from the others not just in term of quality but also in terms of leadership. He's always barking orders to players and relaxes the players on the ball. This means that when he plays for our senior team he doesn't seem like the "young lad that needs an arm round the shoulder type".

In an ideal world I would play him in midfield though as his mistakes are less likely to cost us a goal. Having said that, based on injures and the good of the team we had to play him at CB - and I'm sure thisll be the case in future games too.

IronHerb

Jeez. What have we got to do to make some posters happy? Our best performance of the season by a mile but to some it's not good enough as we lost to possibly the best team in Europe at this time.
I don't mind people criticising the team when we play poorly but we we play well to continue leaves a sour taste.

COYI

puddleglumhammers

So much better today than for weeks and weeks. Maybe Moyes can get them better organised and motivated - just not sure if we have enough talent to stay up.
Totally agree with Lukerz about playing 5 at the back. Bot Zabaleta and Masuaku are so much better in a 5 than a 4. Fernandes had a good game both wide and central after Kouyate went off. And that was Obiang's best game for ages.
I hope Carrol stays injured as Sakho is so much better and if he plays with Hernandez in a 5 3 2 they could be great together, with Lanzini in behind them.

chicagohammer

Wow, feel really proud of the team, all I wanted was to ensure that Man City knew they had been in a game and that they had to work for it.

And that was certainly the case this afternoon.

Now let’s take the confidence that sort of performance should instill and make sure it is in evidence for the rest of the season, if it is, we will be just fine.

Yeoldhammer

Was sat in the home end with my City friend for this game. Didn't expect to be going to the game, unfortunately his Dad pulled out from being able to go to the game and so i got a free invite and a chance to see my new God son, if that's the right word?

Anyways quality effort from the lads, and i use to want Arsenal to win the title to show up the mega bucks teams. But the City experience is something else, not at all bothered by the amount of money they have, they treat all fans, home and away wonderfully. Whoever is running the show at the London Stadium needs to attend a few home games at the Etihad. Brilliant all around. Thought we were in for a thumping but showed some guts even if we were on the ropes for 95% of the second half. I really hope City sweep up the title and wish them all the best for the Champs League.

MrsGrey

Adrian got (one of the votes for) MOTM.

IronHerb

Yeold, The Etihad is my favourite away venue. The fans are real, the football good to watch and, as you say, you are treated well. ;ok

Cuz1

With that performance there is hope I say it’s finding confidence from that looked like a team first time in a long while and now yet again my optimism rises to the top

TwistandShout

I'm proud of that performance, the players gave everything and that's all you can ask. Just beaten by a team who are very very good.

Thought Adrian was outstanding and must keep his place.
Rice did brilliant. An 18 year old against that sort of opposition ;clap
Ogbonna was class and I'm not normally a fan.

TwistandShout

But the reality is it is 0 points, 19th in the league, with Chelsea and Arsenal in our next 2 games.
Merry Christmas hammers ;whistle

claretandbluesky

I think the manner of our set up today is viable going forward as we are now a team most clubs will be looking to beat so will come onto us, allowing us to counter attack, I quite like the idea of locking tight at the back and practice breaking quickly, with Antonio, Chico and Sakho I think we can counter, with Lanzini as the ball player.

We will certainly get a chance to test it out over the next couple of matches.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

I think we’ll beat Chelsea after that.

Lukerz

Thought Cresswell was very good as a LCB. Adrian outstanding. Kouyate was excellent until he went off and I thought Zabaleta was also a stand-out. Everybody else worked hard. Think Antonio is a threat as a striker. But Masuaku and Fernandes I’m really not convinced about.

Of course if we replicate that level of effort over the rest of the season we will have a good chance of survival but we said that after Leicester and followed it up with Everton. The team has to start producing now. I feel we need to take 3 points off of Chelsea or Arsenal.

I think what we also saw today was a glimpse of the gameplan which could get us out of this mess for the rest of the season. Soak up pressure and use the pace we have on the counter.

But, despite the positives, 10 points from a possible 45 is dreadful and another 0 points doesn’t help our cause at all.

Hammerex

Best performance this season and deserved a point. Adrian played a blinder,
surely deserves his place for the next match. If we had played like this all
season we would be in the top half of the league without doubt.

claretandbluesky

If Adrian does not get the shirt back after that he should put in a transfer request for the earliest possible exit as there is no way I would step between the sticks again for the club once Hart leaves. Hart had a great game against Palace but has been very ordinary throughout the rest of our fixtures.

thornburyiron

Rice is another player who says he's loving the training under Moyes so maybe the change may have an impact which is gradually showing through. If you love the training then I expect you're more up for the games. It's only been a few weeks and there was a lot to put right

Lukerz

The commentary said that we won’t feel the full effects for another couple of weeks. There’s a lot of extra training and running to squeeze into a short period of time. Almost 6 weeks needs to go into 1.

TheMadcapLaughs

Great game that. Under the cosh, but we looked organised and actually played some nice stuff. The signing of Hart has got to be the worst, most nonsensical signing in the history of such things. Adrian and Randolph were perfectly adequate, ticked off the pair of them. And Adrian is West Ham, not the best, but loves the club, loves the fans and he ENTERTAINS, another Carlton Cole. West Ham.

;ccole ;adrian


Play like that for the rest of the season and I`m sure we will be fine.

coyi coyi coyi coyi coyi coyi coyi coyi coyi coyi

grey_til_I_dye

To play Citeh away (or at home for that matter) and always be in the game was a terrific effort.

See Pep moaning 'they didn't want to play'.

No Pep, we didn't want to play the way that leaves your lot free to rip us apart, and score a hatful of goals.

Sorry if that's a disappointment to you.

Well, not sorry a lot.

Or very much.

Or at all, come to think of it.

jay_in_cpt

And Fabian Delph can also shut his gob..
He's just fortunate to play for City.

madridhammer

I can't add much except to say that I was pleased even though we lost. If we play like that on a regular basis we'll be ok. One other thing,I know Hart is probably a better all round keeper but I just prefer Adrian,he really seems to care about the club & I'd rather see him in goal for us.

sweepy23

Does anyone want Hart in the side?

grey_til_I_dye

His mum, I should think.