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Hammer: City scored their goals from our mistakes

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 (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Pablo Fornals blames the team for defeat last night rather than giving the usual high praise to the way Manchester City approach and play their way through games.

And it’s hard to disagree despite a terrific first half when the Hammers were as defensively sound as it gets.

City manager Pep Guardiola showed that when he stormed from the dug out at half time having watched his team unable to pierce such a well organised defence beyond one hit post.

The Hammers though fell apart in the second half as tne Sky Blues found their form after a relatively soft free kick goal had set them on their way.

And while Fornals was proud of the fight his side showed, the Spain midfielder was frustrated to see sloppy errors allow the Citizens to show their class.

Speaking afterwards he pulled no punches in an assessment of the game which he feels we could have taken something from.
He told www.whufc.com: “In the first half, we were in the game and [our game plan] worked really well but in the second half we started to concede goals and obviously, we are not happy with the way we conceded them it was more our fault than it was their success.

“But we came here, and we fought like dogs for 90 minutes and I am going home [frustrated] that they created [most of their chances] from mistakes.”

With skipper Declan Rice, Nayef Aguerd and Tomáš Souček ruled out due to illness only hours before kick-off, the Irons battled resolutely at Etihad Stadium to keep the match goalless at the break.

Fornals was proud of the squad’s collective attitude as David Moyes made four changes to the side which started at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Fornals

With Kurt Zouma also ruled out due to an ankle injury sustained at Selhurst Park, Thilo Kehrer, Aaron Cresswell, Flynn Downes and Angelo Ogbonna were recalled to the starting XI.

And a much-changed side, due to a combination of unfortunate circumstances, battled well, according to Fornals.

Now, whoever is fit to play, the Hammers have four games to secure their top-flight future, starting with a home fixture with Manchester United at London Stadium on Sunday evening.

“We are not just eleven players,” the No8 stated. “[The whole squad] is ready for their chance. With or without [the missing players] it is always tough to play against a team who is fighting to be first [in the Premier League table].

“In the first half, we fought. And we did our game plan. We tried to make it as hard as possible for them.

“As we showed, everyone needs to be ready for what is coming. We have to stay together as we have all season and try and reach our goals as soon as possible.”

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

1 comment

  • hammerpete6 says:

    The ‘how’ was there to see, but the ‘why’ is equally transparent. Foul by Downes with badly timed challenge – not played recently – played onside from free kick by Ogbonna – not played recently – bad first touch of the ball by Ings – not played recently – not quite closed down by Emerson – not played recently. If Moyes used his subs like Pep they would all stay much more match sharp and ready.

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