IT’S BACK ON! Manchester City v West Ham Utd (19th February) - Match Thread

Lukerz

Right, our last win, I made the match thread, so back to that to see if it brings us any much needed luck.

Likely to get beat here heavily. I would play as ambitious a side as possible & just give it a go.

Fabianski
Fredericks - Balbuena - Ogbonna - Masuaku
Rice - Soucek
Snodgrass - Bowen - Fornals
Antonio

Randolph, Diop, Zabaleta, Cresswell, Noble, Lanzini, Haller

alderz

7-0 to us

Lukerz

Good news now is we have some pace for the counter. If Anderson is fit, we could go...

Fabianski
Balbuena - Ogbonna - Diop
Fredericks - Rice - Soucek - Masuaku
Bowen - Anderson
Antonio

Plenty of options on the break where maybe we can defend deep & spring at them when we do occasionally win possession.

thornburyiron

We will get a fair bit of possession if only from kickoffs.

Yeoldhammer

The beginning of the end

imagelost

Upset 😠 for mc

ianbishoplegend

Midfield of:

Bowen- Snodgrass - Rice - Lanzini - Antonio

4-5-1 that can be a 4-3-3 with Bowen and Antonio switching it up. I feel Lanzini will be better technically against City than Noble or the new fella.

Pengeman

After each loss I do through a period of mourning and it has increasingly become routine and is disheartening. This must be the same for some players like Noble and Rice who are closely connected with WHU. I don't expect much relief after that the MAN C game. May be a surprise if our defence turns up, City score own goals or get a player sent-off. Miracles do happen, don't they?

SuzanneClaret

Narrative tells us that this is just the type of game West Ham traditionally win, and there is still that claret and blue kernel deep inside my heart that thinks 'yeah, we just might'.

Problem is, City did not score yesterday despite very many chances and a penalty, which makes me think we are going to suffer as a consequence.

Then there is our defense; all over the place, with little clue as to what they are supposed to be doing, short on confidence and with no real leader.

I expect City to fill their boots.


But then again....

alderz

SuzanneClaret said:

Narrative tells us that this is just the type of game West Ham traditionally win, and there is still that claret and blue kernel deep inside my heart that thinks 'yeah, we just might'.

Problem is, City did not score yesterday despite very many chances and a penalty, which makes me think we are going to suffer as a consequence.

Then there is our defense; all over the place, with little clue as to what they are supposed to be doing, short on confidence and with no real leader.

I expect City to fill their boots.


But then again....

This is exactly what I mean when I say I go into every game thinking we might get something

thornburyiron

Alderz we are all the same but at the same time worrying that the something we may get is a stuffing.

SuzanneClaret

I know ald.. It's madness!



In no other part of my life, professional and personal, do I totally disregard the actual facts.

welovethehammers

Lukerz said:

Good news now is we have some pace for the counter. If Anderson is fit, we could go...

Fabianski
Balbuena - Ogbonna - Diop
Fredericks - Rice - Soucek - Masuaku
Bowen - Anderson
Antonio

Plenty of options on the break where maybe we can defend deep & spring at them when we do occasionally win possession.

I'd go for this team but imo swap Balbuena for Cresswell (ensuring Cress plays on the left though). Balbuena has been pretty shocking this season and I think he'll get pulled apart by City.

Perhaps Snodgrass for Masuaku too. It seems harsh to drop Snodgrass after he scores two goals last game. I'm a fan of Masuaku but he was pretty sloppy when he came on at the end of the game against Everton.

I like the look of:

Fabianski
Ogbonna - Diop - Cress
Fredericks - Rice - Soucek - Snodgrass
Bowen - Anderson
Antonio

OutcastLondoner

Get Masuaku pushing forward and he’s a threat. He can do a job pressing higher but he’s not so good when he has to concentrate. Masuaku, Antonio, Bowen and potentially Anderson would be the most pace we’ve had for ages. If we sit back they’ll tear us apart.

Yeoldhammer

Assuming no one gets injured against City we should hopefully have a full roster to choose from come Feb 24th apart from the usual absentees of Reid and Wilshire.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Fab
Frederick's Diop Ogbonna Cresswell
Bowen Rice Soucek Anderson
Antonio Haller

Possibly our best XI at full strength?

I know Haller has frustrated a lot of people but you can see his class, think with Antonio beside him flanked by pace we can see the Haller we thought we were getting

alderz

Haller will be a threat with people around him. Very, very few strikers are a threat when there’s nobody within 30 yards of them

Yeoldhammer

Haller needs the Rebic Jovic around him. If Haller is to be used to the best of his abilities. He needs Antonio and Bowen / Anderson literally right up top with him in a 3. Unfortunately this is not working in the PL because we don't have the defensive capabilities to spring all 3 of them on counters like Liverpool do with their front 3.

My personal feeling though and have felt this for a long time now, even way before Christmas. We need to revert back to the Allardyce 4-4-2 Diamond that we had.


Fab

Fredericks Diop Ogbonna Cresswell

Rice

Snodgrass Soucek

Bowen/Anderson

Antonio Haller

chicagohammer

Lukerz said:

Plenty of options on the break where maybe we can defend deep & spring at them.

Well it made me laugh :weep:

Adam

So, are we all in agreement that Noble should not start the next 2 games? Is there anyone who wants him to start against City or Liverpool?

Hamstew

I honestly don't think it matters who starts against those two.

DJ Hammer

Adam said:

So, are we all in agreement that Noble should not start the next 2 games? Is there anyone who wants him to start against City or Liverpool?

Do we put our hands up? :wave:

puddleglumhammers

Is there any point (literally) in going to Man City trying to just get a point ? Are we not better to play as attacking a team as possible and trying to unnerve them a bit ?
To do this we really should play Antonio and Haller together up top which should stop their full backs being too ambitious. Clutching at straws seems to be part and parcel of supporting West Ham but let's at least clutch an interesting, attacking straw.

Fab
Fredericks Diop Ogbonna Cresswell
Bowen Rice Soucek Anderson (Snodgrass, if not fit)
Antonio Haller

Hamstew

I'd have Snodgrass over Anderson even if he is fit. This season he's been twice the player Anderson has.

OutcastLondoner

I agree we should target their defence, especially if Fernandinho is still playing there.

Bu t there is a point in trying to keep it tight. Our goal difference advantage was already mostly lost during the Leicester and Liverpool games and we could easily end up behind our competition on goal difference if we're not careful in these two games.

ASLEFshrugged

City aren't in the best of shape, thanks to injuries and bans they might have to play John Stones as a LB - if he's still a City player by Sunday.

Looks like Sterling will be absent too so only Aguero, Jesus, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Silva, etc. to worry about...

BubblesNeverDies

The only way to beat City is to attack with pace, otherwise they'll just pull us apart.
I was at the Boleyn in the last season there vs City where Enner Valencia scored in the first minute. Read the report and weep at the caption above Slav's photo.
:weep:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35331039

Kuchinghammer

Attack or Play It Tight, Moyes will be crucified by some. I can hear the nails being sharpened. Or are they Sterling's nails??

chicagohammer

BubblesNeverDies said:

The only way to beat City is to attack with pace

You so nearly had me there,

thornburyiron

I think we’d have a better chance if we attacked with mace.

BubblesNeverDies

Thorn, do you reckon the ref might notice he's not wearing the away kit?