Manuel Pellgrini emerged bloody but unbowed after the 5-0 thrashing by Man City insisting that we were nothing like as bad as the result suggests.
He may have some sort of point but the reality is that by the end of the day we will have suffered an even worse defeat than newly promoted Norwich City who opened their campaign against Liverpool in the Anfield cauldron last night.
It’s a hard one to take after being just the single goal down at half time before once again being taken to the cleaners by what is indeed a great side.
And his comment that “it’s hard to talk when you lose 5-0” didn’t stop him doing so and claiming that it “didn’t reflect the difference between the sides.”
Others will make up their own minds on that one but the familiar second half collapse against City suggests that not too many lessons have been learned thus far.
The manager said: ““We knew before the game that it would be a difficult game.It’s difficult to talk when you lose 5-0 in a game. I don’t think the score reflected the difference between the two teams.
“In key moments there were key factors; we were very unlucky. The first goal they scored was lucky. It cleared off our defender. After that, we had a couple of chances to make it 2-1.
“I don’t think we must analyse the performance of the individual players against Manchester City. I think we must play as a team. Especially in the first half, I was not happy with the way we played. We concede goals in the second half where we gave too much time and space to a team with great players.”
On VAR he added: “It’s complicated but I think VAR is fair for both teams. We used it in the same circumstances for both teams. I think it will improve and maybe we won’t be reviewing every mistake. I think it will improve the games though.”
Pic from www.whufc.com
He backed the team to improve in their upcoming matches and said: “We have a picture from today. This game will be useful. We know the Premier League is a difficult league. We will review the game.
“Manchester City did 13 fouls and we did five, so we can be a bit more aggressive. We need to improve in defence but I’m sure we have a good squad and we will have good results.
I would say he should be, as he got it all wrong today tactically. How he could have been so naive is hard to believe for someone so experienced. Was he delusional to believe we could outplay City because he set us up to attack with basically Fab, Bal, Diop and Rice to mind the house. I felt sorry for these 4 players and if I was them I would be extremely disappointed with the managers performance.
I think if it was in his mind to treat this match like a slugfest against the best team in the land then it is indeed a grave error.We do not seem to have learnt as this has happened every season going back to Bilic in charge.It is the way we cave in at the death and a not too worrying 2-0 becomes a 4 or 5 in the dying minutes.He knew about the pace they have down the flanks and through midfield and we were overrun in the end.Left side is still a huge worry.Lets see where we are at after the Brighton game as that will be a more realistic marker on our team.Masuaku at LB for definate though.
Dont be downhearted.Pelle is right.City will do this again and again to most teams this season.Its all a bit predictable at the top as money rules the roost.Our season begins away at Brighton and Watford and hopefully a much more comfortable home game against Norwich.I cannot envisage losing our first 4 like last season.
I don’t usually comment but I feel I have to say something regarding the way that the fans ‘give up’ and go home early.
What does that say to the players?
They’ll see the fans going home early and surely it must have an affect on them too.
I remember all too well when we lost Tony Gale in the semi final of the FA cup to Forest at Villa Park and got a hammering, not a single fan left that day. That is what it means to be a West Ham fan.
Yeah today sucked but we’ll bounce back like always, just stay behind the team, show them what it means to us by sticking with them through thick and thin.
This is an important point. We are supporters. This means lifting them when things go wrong. If you always want to win, go support another team; we need to remember even the invincible became vincibles. True West Ham fans support the team not just when we are winning in Premier League but even when the team was and may in future be relegated. Once a hammer, always a hammer. ⚒
Completely agree why oh why do fans leave so early, imposter fans
Don’t expect Brighton to be easy either . It’s all very well trying to play like a big team but this gung-ho approach needs curtailing somewhat . To play a bit more defensively is not against the rules of football . The second half was a massacre waiting to happen . I know it was the first game of the season and against Man City but for crying out loud ; 5 nil !!
But we must , of course , remain optimistic that Pelligrini has learned something because today he got it totally wrong .
COYHAMMERS
The transfer window was a nonsense really, rather than yet another attacking midfielder we should have spent on a defensive midfielder & decent left back….I fear that this won’t be the only drubbing we will get this season & as well as that Fabianski was probably punching above his weight last season so we probably want see a performance like that from again….
Not good…
One major point I think the Fans and pundits alike are missing.
A big part of Man City’s game, is when the opposition break or look threatening they immediately bring the player down and commit a foul.
Dont get me wrong Man City are one of the best if not the best club team in the world.
But what does surprise me is how the so called knowledgeable pundits don’t pick up on it or even question it. And even the referee;s don’t punish them with any yellow cards.
This tactic consistently brakes up flowing play from the opposition. It prevents them from building momentum and creating chances.
I lost count of the Fouls Rodrigo made. One on Lanzini when Lanzini turned him and was getting away. Rodrigo instantly brought Lanzini down by pulling his shirt. This is a blatant yellow card. But he consistently got away with it.
Just amaxed how know one notices, or questions it.
It’s important to MP that we try to impose ourselves on the big teams, other than Liverpool and City that approach has delivered results. For the team themselves it is psychological we know we can beat 18 out of 20 of the PL teams. City and Liverpool both make industrial scale professional fouls as MP alluded too, he says we should also be tactically more aware of when to do that, which requires players to better read the numbers and the play, if we start to do that teams like Bournemouth, Arsenal, Everton etc will be easier to beat regularly, with the attacking threat we have hopefully those teams that are hard to break down like Burnley we should now have the quality to open up. I hoped for the best against City but we are a tackler short in midfield and they are probably the best team in the world. Onwards and upwards COYI!!!
Every summer I sit twiddling my thumbs waiting for the season to start, and within a few weeks, I wish it was summer again.