Vladimir Coufal’s reaction to Manchester City defeat sums up West Ham’s self-belief

Positives in defeat

Despite struggling simply their second league defeat in 13 there are a selection of positives for West Ham from Saturday afternoon towards Manchester City.

For one they scored on the Etihad, the primary time an away staff has managed that within the Premier League since Youri Tielemans did so for Leicester City in September. Since then City have hosted ten Premier League opponents, none of whom have discovered a well beyond Ederson within the City web.

Michail Antonio did simply that and arguably ought to have achieved so twice within the first-half alone. Issa Diop additionally had an honest probability with the ultimate assault of the match however appeared caught in two minds as to whether or not to go for aim or set-up Tomas Soucek.

The indisputable fact that West Ham had been nonetheless within the recreation at that stage speaks volumes for his or her effort and defensive show all through the 90 minutes. Manchester City dominated possession however created few clear-cut possibilities.

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In reality, within the first-half the Hammers had extra pictures on course than City had pictures in complete and by the tip of the sport, Pep Guardiola’s males had solely managed yet another effort than the guests and the 2 had been equal one three pictures on course apiece.

This just isn’t to counsel West Ham had been robbed however as Hammers boss, David Moyes mentioned post-match: “If we had bought some extent there would have been no complaints.”

And he was proper, a draw wouldn’t have raised many eyebrows and that isn’t one thing that may usually be mentioned about Manchester City’s opponents.

A defeat towards the Champions elect is not going to outline West Ham’s season or their European ambitions however subsequent week’s recreation towards mid-table Leeds may.

Ben Johnson’s day to neglect

Johnson was introduced in to give West Ham added defensive stability with Moyes setting his staff up with a five-man defence.

Manchester City gamers have a good time their second aim behind a dejected-looking Ben Johnson(Photo by Matt McNulty/Manchester City FC through Getty Images)

However, in doing so the staff seemed barely lopsided with Lingard taking part in by the center and leaving Johnson extremely remoted on the left. City seemed to exploit the teen’s inexperience at this stage and had been continuously taking part in down his wing, on the uncommon event Johnson bought ahead he was usually wasteful in possession with Antonio twice telling him precisely what he considered his cross.

In equity to Johnson, he was usually one-on-one towards the wonderful Riyad Mahrez, and Kevin De Bruyne additionally drifted to his wing now and again.

City’s two objectives got here from Johnson’s space of the pitch and on each events, the younger defender may have achieved higher. He ought to have been nearer to De Bruyne when the Belgium curled in a wonderful cross and he was turned inside out by Mahrez earlier than the Algerian in the reduction of to John Stones.

Johnson is a wonderful younger participant and he’ll little question study from his 83 minutes on the Etihad however Saturday was a troublesome afternoon for the 21-year-old. Luckily for him few different groups possess the standard of gamers that City do and he will not have to face opponents of this calibre once more for some time.

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Curious substitutions

Johnson’s poor recreation leads us properly into the following speaking level of why Moyes waited so lengthy earlier than making any adjustments to his staff.

The two substitutions he did make didn’t come till the 83rd minute and had been attacking ones as West Ham chased a second equaliser of the afternoon. Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma had been requested to change the sport with solely seven minutes of regular time remaining.

Now, I’m not suggesting that Moyes ought to have thrown two attacking gamers on with half an hour to go and go away the Hammers open on the again, however from the seventieth minute onwards you might see there have been drained legs on the sector.

Understandably in order effectively, City two-thirds of the possession and West Ham had been placing in a wonderful effort to shut them down and preserve the sport tight. Moyes could possibly be heard on the sideline directing Pablo Fornals to preserve vitality “not the centre-half Pablo, keep on De Bruyne” when the Spaniard set off on two prolonged sprints to chase Stones and Ruben Dias down.

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Johnson was struggling all through the sport and it was a shock to see him emerge for the second half, Fabian Balbuena has not let the Hammers down this season when known as upon and will simply have changed the 21-year-old with Cresswell shifting to full again.

Even if Moyes needed to preserve Johnson on it was a curious selection not to name upon Bowen and Benrahma sooner than he did.

Coufal character

Vladimir Coufal hates shedding.

Earlier this month West Ham misplaced an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford after extra-time. Coufal was the final participant to go away the sector, hiding his head in his shirt, shoulders slumped, his frustration clear for all to see.

For the second time in a month, the Hammers have tasted defeat in Manchester and as soon as extra Coufal didn’t take it effectively. At the ultimate whistle when throughout him had been shaking fingers or within the case of Benrahma and Mahrez have a superb outdated chin wag, the 28-year-old Czech was on his haunches seen offended on the end result.

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Vladimir Coufal of West Ham United appears dejected following his staff’s defeat to Manchester City (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Moyes was requested about his right-back’s reaction after the sport, he mentioned: “He is a good character Vladimir and thinks we must be successful the entire video games,” mentioned Moyes. “It would not actually matter who he comes up towards he’s going to attempt to do one of the best he can.

“He has been nice for us and he’s a terrific participant but additionally a terrific boy to have round and that’s the form of factor that goes by the squad and thru the gamers is a good self-belief.”

It won’t appear a lot however it’s this hatred of shedding that may assist construct a successful mentality on the membership and I for one love to see it simply hopefully not too usually.

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West Ham win xG battle

Love it or hate it xG is a part of the fashionable recreation. xG stands for anticipated objectives is a statistical measurement of the standard of goalscoring possibilities and the chance of them being scored.

For instance, a penalty has an xG score of 0.76 which means that traditionally 76% of all penalties have been scored.

At the Etihad Stadium, West Ham ended the sport with an xG of 1.93 in contrast to the house aspect’s 0.76, that is solely the second time all season that City have had a decrease xG than their opponents. The 5-2 dwelling loss to Leicester City being the opposite event.

Whether you just like the xG metric or not, one factor it does present is that West Ham created some good alternatives and had the Hammers grabbed a late level they might have deserved it, each statistically and conventionally.

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