There was a brief period during the Hammers’ second half performance when I was optimistic that we had a outside chance of getting back in to the game. At 1-2 down after half time, we were trying to play our football, long-ball was nowhere to be seen and our wingers were really making inroads and starting to peg Man City back.
In view of recent history though, the inevitable happened , the third goal went in and that was that. However, the circumstances surrounding that third goal were especially disappointing: Mavropanos‘s rush of blood, charging out of defence to lose possession midway into the oppositions’ half – which led to Haaland’s third goal- was tough to take. There was a big hole in our back line where the Greek wasn’t.
Mavropanos – a costly rush of blood?
I know last week we’d been praising The Irons’ defence for creating new attacks by ball carrying from the back: But against the best team in the league, one goal down and having just hit the post and almost equalised? It seems a cavalier-like forward run by the Greek centre back, as if it were a Sunday morning kickabout in the park. Am I being harsh?
I wonder if Lopetegui will be forgiving – he has shown a ruthlessness thus far and it wouldn’t surprise me if Mavropanos gets sidelined in exchange for Jean-Clair Todibo in our next home fixture. The new signing has been waiting in the wings and will have had a couple of weeks extra fitness training during the international break.
Our Head Coach has shown single mindedness with his selections and substitutions – Mavropanos’ sudden rush of blood cannot have gone un-noticed.
Dinos always has a mistake in him. He won’t be first choice, long term.
agreed, suited us when we were ‘average’ but I think Lopetegui is going to demand more
You either want attacking play or you don’t a goal down again=inst he best club team the World has ever seen, taking chances is the game, if you can’t commit players and break the press you are a sitting duck. Last week everyone was praising Kilman for doing it, this week it didn’t work, that’s the rub we were about 10-1 against to take anything from the game, would rather see us trying to hurt them and losing that sitting deep waiting for the inevitable like we did under Moyes.
Yes your being harsh
I think he had to rush out like that because with Alverse off the pitch there was a big gap in the middle of our midfield that wouldn’t have been there if he was on the pitch . You’re damned if you do you’re damned if you don’t.
Shut up whinging will ya
In hindsight it was the wrong decision against the wrong team but we had to be positive to try and get back into the game so I think it’s unfair to criticise him too much. I do really like Mavropanos but I think Todibo is probably a far more talented player and ultimately will be Kilman’s centre back partner this season.
Martin,
You landed here at Claret and Hugh a couple of months ago and immediately started contributing articles that I thought were a breath of fresh air. For the past five or six weeks, you’ve been writing typical West Ham United social media clickbait bolleaux that are a complete waste of our time!! Please stop.
Am I being harsh?
‘Harsh’..I think you might be. How is an opinion clickbait? Because you don’t agree with it?
What’s with the negative vibes.
No you are not being harsh, Mavrapanos’ job was to hold the back line, he does not have Wan-Bissaka skills. The mystery is, what the hell was he doing in the line up in the first place, or to put it another way, why the hell did they buy Todibo? I hope that Mavrapanos, Coufal and Antonio will not be on future team sheets other than as subs. If they are, then these topics will continue.
He had a brain fart, imagined he might get there and make a great challenge. Reality got him. Dont have a problem with it myself, there will be bumps. Mavropanos will cede his place in due course to Todibo. Lop is doing his job rotating his new players in, in the order he rates them capable of settling. So gnarly old Guido straight in. New to the league/level/continent a bit longer. I’m so excited by the change, the shift in our approach to playing Citeh says it all.
Yes I feel a bit harsh if he managed to pass at the end then great, but wrong in hindsight. But for me, even against City, so good to see us play through from the back, without standing still or hiding (JWP), we need players to take responsibility to transition. I like the way we are starting to shape up and play football. Make us proud of our play.