Ok, we may still have lost (probably would have) but to go down so easily with such a weak line up and negative, passive display was disappointing. West Ham were an average team who will not have an easier game all season. City just froze, and did not know what to do. Devoid of tactics and quality in the key areas. Why didn't Mackay put a team out who could have attacked West Ham? It was as if Mackay thought we were still in the Championship. Maybe someone with PL experience should be in the club to help him? Early days of course but we cannot be seen as looking for 0-0 or 0-1 on the break away from home; PL teams will murder us if City have that mentality. Hindsight is a great thing but really did anyone expect anything else with Connelly up against Jarvis and Downing against John? What was Gunnarsson doing on the pitch? Why was Whittingham out wide? Can't Bellamy cross a football and track back to help his full back? Why does Turner just hoof the ball aimlessly up front? Why were Brayford or Noone or even Conway not even on the bench? Hull away is the acid test IMO. Man City & Everton will be far too strong for us. By Hull game the window will be shut and so City need to have got 3 more players in at least. City also need Cornelius fit, get the centre half's organised, a pair of new full backs who can stick to their winger and not let balls plus show some pace in attack, in, a wide man who can do what Jarvis/Downing can do and also defend. Hopefully the team will learn quickly as they need urgently to sharpen up, and get wise to this higher tempo and more skilful football. West Ham were nothing special, and City went down like a damp squib. that was what was disappointing. There have to be 3 clubs who we will finish below us; that is looking forlorn at the moment but I am confident Mackay and his players can get over this, and start afresh. I am far from pessimistic, rather quietly optimistic so long as City learn from this set back. KTF! Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds!
Nin! More questions than answers there fella. I think you do Allardyce's lads a disservice to dismiss the abundance of quality in that side. Defensively they were solid, though it didn't help that, as you say, Malky seems to have set up camp looking for a draw or snatching a goal on the break. Think back to the play offs and this could have been much worse. We looked the weaker team for most of the game but we have time on our side to gel as a team. Surprised that Malky left it so late to introduce Maynard who I think might have had a point to prove to his old club. I have always admired Nolan who has been a curse on us even with the Magpies. He always raises his game against us.
Agreed i think WHU could well finish easily in the top 8 this year especially when they get Carroll back. I think we were tactically naive.
The most disappointing thing for me was the lack of attempts on goal with the first one that was on target coming in the 83rd minute.
Remember this was their first home game. Welshman! I think it was Maynard's shot you are referring too. I think we missed a leader on the pitch.
Sorry Nin, but I don't see WHU as being anything like a "weak team" this season. They are a big side and strong, but not just that, they have plenty of skill on the pitch that will test many a club in the Prem this season. They were too strong for us on the day and we looked like rabbits caught in the headlights for the first half hour. We started to pass the ball secondf half and showed some neat skills. Now what we want to add to that is some power and belief. I think Malky will address both issues very quickly. As for Man City next week - nothing is cast in stone and they could be in for a shock in front of a packed CCS.
West Ham aren't rubbish, but we allowed them to look a lot better than they should have, and like any good team they took full advantage of our lack of ability. I think Tucker summed the Cardiff game pretty much in this piece http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/west-ham-united-2-0-cardiff-5748032 I think Medel will be everything we hope for, but will need better support, no man is an Island, especially in football. We have to improve on this if we are going to get the points needed just to stay up. I hope Malky was just giving the usual expected interview and doesn't believe all he said. I don't know whether we actually improved or West Ham were sitting a bit on that 2-0 lead and allowed us more game time, hopefully it was the former. More players please MM, we need to up the game.
