Key occasions
85 min Benrahma pulls extensive down the left, crosses, and Rodri, arriving again into the hazard zone, turns away a wonderful clearance.
83 min Guardiola soccer isn’t my favorite soccer to observe, but it surely’s the toughest soccer to beat, by far. How are you going to win a recreation with 30% possession, half of that inside your personal half? West Ham have had a few possibilities in the present day, however they’ve managed no sustained strain, which is to say to beat Metropolis, you must be virtually excellent.
81 min “Simply needed to chime in within the everlasting VAR debate,” chimes in Alexaandre. “I truly agree together with your earlier level that legal guidelines give a number of room for interpretation, explaining inconsistencies. The infuriating factor about VAR is that it truly compounds the difficulty by first making it determine whether or not or not it ought to become involved, then having the referee’s interpretation come into play. In different phrases, the place earlier than refereeing inconsistencies have been due solely to differing referee’s interpretation of comparable conditions, we now have the double inconsistency of referee interpretation PLUS VAR interpretation. That’s the silly factor. I get it was completed to cut back the variety of stoppage attributable to VAR however it’s ridiculous. VAR ought to become involved as quickly as they disagree with the ref’s determination, as a result of that’s the clear signal a assessment is warranted. Sorry for one more rant in regards to the subject, and have a very good finish of recreation.”
I believe we bought VAR as a result of gamers, managers, supporters and rights-holders regularly bitched about errors, usually chucking within the line “…and with a lot cash concerned”. Personally, I’ve at all times hated it as a result of right choices don’t have anything to do with why I really like the sport – whereas the pace of it, together with shedding my thoughts when my group rating, and big components of what makes it particular to me. I’m not completely happy sacrificing these to go from 96% right calls to 98% right calls, which was roughly the intention, if I keep in mind appropriately.
79 min Haaland’s debut was not unreminiscent of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s for Man United in opposition to Fulham – two completely different targets, linked by the overall experience with which they have been taken.
78 min Two modifications for Metropolis, Bernardo and Alvarez changing Gundogan and Haaland.
78 min De Bruyne, who’s been quietly very good, finds Grealish, who cuts inside and lamps a low shot that scuds simply extensive of the close to submit.
76 min Grealish wanders about with the ball at inside-left and finds Gundogan close to the road, however his pull-back fizzes throughout the face with nobody on-hand to stay it in. What Metropolis want is a centre-forward, they’d be some group if that they had that.
74 min “Simply so ,” returns JR, “on that Cancelo foul on Bowen (which in all probability wasn’t even a foul) the yellow card given to Cancelo wasn’t truly for the foul itself. It was as a result of Cancelo regarded on the assistant ref after which used his thumb and index finger on every hand to type circles after which put the ensuing circles over his eyes to make the common ‘glasses’ gesture to insinuate that the assistant referee has poor eyesight.”
Think about having to put in writing that up in your report, and admit you couldn’t take it.
73 min Coufal curves in an honest cross and this time Scamacca is there, heading down … however Ederson saves, then the flag goes up. Ake and Dias noticed that coming, so stepped up in loads of time.
72 min “The NFL wage cap has been extra about guaranteeing that house owners make cash than growing the recognition of the sport,” says Scott Wedel. “In the meantime, the NBA and MLB permit groups to blast by way of the wage cap and pay a luxurious tax. The Dodgers haven’t any much less as dominant a roster as Metropolis.”
Oh I agree – redistribution is to maintain the circle of cash going round, not hold issues truthful. However it’s the predominant motive you not often see the tremendous bowl retained.
70 min Metropolis are opening up now, Grealish slowing up Coufal then dragging down the aspect of him and standing up a cross for Haaland, who headbutts excessive on the close to submit.
69 min “Whereas I agree that referee’s can interpret conditions in a different way,” returns Keith Sanderson, “the actual incident within the Utd v Brighton recreation may certainly not be interpreted as something aside from a foul. There was completely no excuse for such a doubtlessly game-changing determination to be ignored. How can it presumably have something to do with how the legal guidelines are drafted? I fell in love with the sport over 50 years in the past so I’ve seen rather a lot, however by all means be happy to coach me.”
I can’t inform you about what to care, however I can’t get exercised by refereeing choices. My guess is Welbeck didn’t get a penalty as a result of from one angle, the contact regarded shoulder-to-shoulder and the ball was inside taking part in distance.
67 min The post-match fuss will likely be about Haaland and truthful sufficient. However what mustn’t be ignored is the perfection of the 2 assists. Gundogan’s cross was weighted to perfection and so was De Bruyne’s – who additionally needed to information it between the assorted defenders between him and his mate.
67 min Drinks. West Ham may do with a stiff one.
GOAL! West Ham United 0-2 Machester Metropolis (Haaland 65)
This is really easy, but so troublesome. Grealish finds Rodri who finds De Bruyne … and he slides a attractive ball in behind, Haaland fees onto it, opens physique and punches throughout Areloa and into the far nook. He is aware of the place the objective is, that lad.
63 min And now right here comes West Ham, Bowen slinging over a terrific cross, and Scamacca’s up! However he can’t introduce forehead to ball then, past the again submit, Benrahma can’t information his shot on the right track.
62 min Right here come Metropolis searching for a second, Foden nashing down the suitable and crossing low … with Haaland sliding within the like T-1000 on a toboggan. However in so doing, when he misses, he truly will get in Gundogan’s street, and since he sees the ball late, he can solely place a shot extensive.
62 min Rodri is controlling the tempo of this recreation. I keep in mind the primary time I noticed him, for Spain in opposition to Wales I believe, and you can see then that he was helpful. However his enchancment by way of the final yr has been distinctive.
61 min Extra Metropolis possession.
58 min “With the addition of Haaland there will likely be few groups who may even compete with Metropolis,” says David Keech. “Third straight title a lock even after just one half of soccer. What cash they emulate Bayerm Munich and win 11 straight, with Bayern already a lock to win 12 in a row? European soccer lowered to some super-teams and alsorans. Eventually followers and TV will begin drifting away as a result of if sport is a foregone conclusion it’s not value watching. The NFL within the USA avoids this with a strict wage cap. Time to consider saving European soccer with it’s personal wage cap? Ideas?”
The distinction with the NFL is the faculty system and the draft – and I’m unsure I like the truth that, in the event you observe a group lengthy sufficient, likelihood is you’ll see them win the tremendous bowl finally. It’s additionally value noting that with out oil cash, Man United would possibly’ve received each title from 07-13, additionally not wholesome, however that mentioned, I’d completely be behind a wage cap and anything that took state wealth and related out of the equation.
57 min Double change for West Ham, Benrahma and Scamacca changing Lanzini and Antonio.
56 min However right here’s the rub: West Ham chase the sport, West Ham depart areas for Metropolis to assault. So right here they arrive, De Bruyne driving ahead and discovering Haaland, who would possibly go on however as an alternative feeds Gundogan to his proper. Who would possibly go on, however as an alternative disguises a return square-pass … which is intercepted, simply.
54 min Higher from West Ham, who transfer the ball from left to center to proper, Antonio discovering Fornals, and when it’s laid again to Rice, on the sting, again goes the pinnacle … and the shot flies properly over the bar. Nonetheless, that is extra of a contest now.
52 min “I’ve watched sufficient soccer in three days – a lot in order that I’m following this match on MBM solely checking scores each 10 minutes,” emails Yash Gupta. “Good level about Moyes and him not being a person for a prime job. I’ve a principle, sure an armchair fan who’s by no means kicked a ball, {that a} supervisor needs to be judged based mostly on how he improves a group’s defence and connection between defence, midfield and assault. If there are good gamers in ahead line, midfield and in goalkeeping division then they are going to stay good and carry out properly. However defence is the place a supervisor needs to be judged. Moyes did a horrible job at United however United squad was additionally dangerous and operating on fumes. Ever since he returned to West Ham, Hammers have defended deep properly sustaining a strong mid-block and play has been pragmatic but fashionable on the identical time. He shouldn’t have gotten the United job but additionally that job was a forest fireplace for anybody and has been since.”
Sure, that’s true, however in the event you assume that when Alex Ferguson bought the job, he’d received titles and a European trophy with Aberdeen – and United have been garbage – Moyes actually hadn’t completed something to earn it.
51 min Rodri to Grealish, who finds Cancelo down the left. His cross is low, however Johnson is well-placed to hump away.
50 min Meantime, West Ham seem like they washed the equipment on too sizzling a setting, then put it within the drier.
49 min Extra Metropolis possession. The angles they discover and their composure in tight areas is as distinctive as ever.
47 min “Haaland,” says Mary Waltz. “A cross between a jet and a tank. Think about what crosses the thoughts of a defender dealing with that charging straight at him. The stuff of nightmares.”
46 min But it surely’s Metropolis on the assault to start with, Haaland flicking off an honest return cross for Grealish, whose crowded out.
46 min West Ham have to play rather a lot higher than they did within the first half – they defended properly sufficient, however lacked their regular depth elsewhere on the pitch.
46 min We go once more!
Nice line from Graham Potter on whether or not a abdomen bug may need stored Welbeck out. “No. He would have strapped the bathroom on to his bottom to play.”
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) August 7, 2022
Half-time e-mail: “That foul by Cancelo on Bowen reveals clearly the inconsistency within the refereeing,” says Keith Sanderson. “Tierney (and VAR) noticed nothing flawed with such a problem within the earlier recreation. We’re solely in week 1, have we actually bought to endure this nonsense for the remainder of the season? What is going to occur? Nothing. VAR needs to be taken out of the arms of the PGMOL and there needs to be a trial with a panel of, say, three ex-pros.”
I don’t know: we are able to count on consistency in the identical recreation, however the way in which the legal guidelines are drafted, we are able to’t count on it throughout completely different ones as a result of there’s room for differing interpretations – because it goes, I don’t assume that’s a foul factor. I’d additionally not be shocked to be taught that the video ref at Outdated Trafford thought Martínez fouled Welbeck, however determined he didn’t have the scope to advocate the ref take one other look. In the end, I doubt many fell in love with the sport due to it’s foolproof decision-making course of, and I’d completely not depend on three ex-pros to do a greater job then the skilled officers we have now.
Half-time studying:
