The Hammers went down fighting at the weekend as Iron Bobby has already said in his match report. I suppose Roberto Mancini had told his players to go out fighting now that the league title has exchanged hands and belongs with the Red Devils.
I had to chuckle when Mancini said the other week that his team had played better than Ferguson’s – who’s he kidding? He’s 14 points adrift of the leaders! He’s built a team like Chelsea did with an open cheque book and mega wage deals – they should be a good team, but not just yet.
They are no Barcelona, although lately, they too have had their issues and are about to face their nemesis in Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Mancini picked a strong team to face the Hammers on Saturday and didn’t bother to rest any of his front line first teamers. Man City still want to make sure they have European football in the shape of the Champions League next season and so were taking no chances against Allardyce’s men – just in case.
Mancini also has the FA Cup in a couple of weeks and would like to go out on a strong note. Then again, Cup Finals are funny games and he may be left without that one, too.
Mancini’s decision to play Joleon Lescott in place of 20-year-old Matija Nastasic was a sound one, as the muscular Brummie largely snuffed out the physical presence of Andy Carroll.
City’s game came as no surprise and wanted to put paid to West Ham’s run of five unbeaten games. Sergio Aguero was the one to get on the scoresheet first after some nice touches by the guy from the Canary Islands, David Silva and ex gooner Nasri.
The first half for West Ham wasn’t much to get excited about and thankfully the second half got under way with the Irons playing better. Unfortunately Yaya Toure found the net to give Jussi no chance and the lads were down by two goals.
The Hammers managed to secure a consolation goal and put a dent in a would be clean sheet for Joe Hart when big Andy Carroll chested the ball down to rifle one past the hapless keeper.
There was a nice touch on 23 minutes regarding Marc-Vivien Foe as pointed out by Iron Bobby. The crowd rose to their feet to tip their hats to the great player who happened to play for both sides and who died 10 years ago on the pitch whilst playing for Cameroon.
I was a shame that West Ham only got into the game in the second half. Maybe if they’d played like that in the first half, the result would be different.
About Stevo
Were any of you at the Etihad or, just watching the hi lights on MOTD?
Allardyce sent his team out with instructions to hang on to the point you started with and, showed zero ambition to get all three, playing with 10 men behind the ball. It was typical dire Allardyce fayre and, you got exactly what you deserved, nothing.
Even in the second half when you “played so much better” it was all long ball stuff looking for Carroll who, to be fair, impressed me with the way he held the ball up to bring others into play, not that that happened too often
I was at the Eithihad and to be honest the highlights on MOTD did nothing for Hammers. I was dreading a totally negative game but was pleasantly suprised by the performance. It’s incredible that we cannot afford 80k a week for 1 player yet City have 4-5 at least on 200k plus per week….level playing field? come on FA sort it out!
Yes, it was a nice performance in the second half but there’s only so much you can do with the new breed of cheque-book sides. I suppose we have to take one on the chin and accept we haven’t got the same amount of cash to offload.
I’m glad to see Sam’s team fighting till the death too, Andy. Makes a change, hate teams that lie down and roll over when the 80th minute kicks in!
Would be nice to have Carroll and pass down the hot potato that CCole is 🙂
Was very happy with performance just a shame we couldnt score to be level at 1-1 but happy with the year , we need to buy carroll outrite no buts keep Diame , buy another speedy striker and another speedy winger and a defender
Good blog. Agree we did much better in the ‘game of two halves’.we deserved a point at leastr and to make the substitutions that Mancini made in the second half he obviously thought we would get that. Quite a compilment that he went more defensive as he could see (as we can) that we got stronger. In my 40 years of support I dont remember a West ham team like the one Sam has created that fights to the 90th minute (98th if at Old Trafford). Well done Sam but can we see Wellington Paulista instead of the relic to the past that is Carlton Cole….please