Thread by @AnalyticsUtd_

🚨 West Ham 2-2 Man City
🔎 Analysis & Review Thread

An emotional day for Noble with what felt like one of our best team performances all season; managing to get a ECL-securing point against a freakishly good Manchester City side.

Questions encouraged, RTs appreciated. 🧵

I don't remember West Ham before Mark Noble and I will always be grateful for this time. It's been so special.

A great player, a fantastic captain and an even better person. His infectious enthusiasm has always inspired us and all those around him.

Of course you did us proud!

And if you missed it, Mark sent my parents his love when they found out they were both dying at the start of the pandemic.

Dad adored Mark and for the two of them to connect in this way gave me a lasting, positive memory of an otherwise truly awful time.

Right, let's get going.

First thing that's noticeable is our insistence on keeping both central defenders deep when Fabianski is in possession.

As City want to press for control, this forces their front three out and leaves both full-backs isolated from direct balls.

This is actually a really neat way to exploit City's strangling style and shows a real faith in our ability to control situations where the ball might turn over quickly.

As a result, Coufal is easily first ahead of Grealish which opens easy crossing space for Bowen. Nice tactic.

4' Chance.

That little sequence leads to a corner and the second phase sees Fornals whip a delightful ball in for Dawson (Zinchenko asleep again) who should do so much better from here.

Free header, 7-8 yds out, pace already on the ball... This is a really good chance.

15' Taylor watch

Wouldn't usually comment on refs but I am going to this time because this match contained an inexplicable abdication of responsibility to stop City's fouls in transition from referee Anthony Taylor.

- No foul despite Fernandinho wrestling Antonio off the ball.

17' Taylor watch

1. Possible City penalty. Don't think we could've complained if it was given. Little surprised it didn't meet the VAR threshold.

2. Strange foul given against Grealish after Fabianski fumbled a De Bruyne cross (similar to the fumble against Norwich...)

18' Taylor watch

Might give this up because Anthony is having an absolute disaster.

An incredible run from Antonio is eventually thwarted by some excellent Fernandinho defending before Cancelo is awarded a free-kick for the most hilariously obvious dive you'll see.

Fair to say Antonio is pretty lucky to avoid a booking afterwards though... He's fuming!

22' Close.

City have had us completely penned in for the whole game so far. We're defending really well in a 442 block, sometimes moving back into a 451 shape but it's been impossible to get out.

Lanzini loses it to Mahrez on the edge and Rodri's deflected shot goes just over.

24' 1-0 Bowen.

What a goal! The ball from Fornals is brilliant and the finish from Bowen is truly outstanding...

Times his run perfectly, takes it around Ederson and manages to slot home from a difficult angle.

Totally against the run of play!

And it's that same tactic we talked about earlier... We manage to draw City's press out again before cutting out the midfield and going direct.

Really helps that Zinchenko still hasn't turned up for the game.

36' Close.

Zinchenko gets past Bowen far too easily and Rice is drawn out of position by De Bruyne which allows Jesus to receive and shoot inside the box.

First real series of defensive errors leading to a proper City chance from us.

37' Chance.

City are really pushing now and Jesus is at the centre of all of it. He does incredibly well to fashion a chance for himself by beating Soucek and Rice in the box before seeing his shot blocked by Zouma.

The rebound falls to Mahrez and Cresswell gets out to block.

45' 2-0 Bowen.

Huge goal! And a very simple one too. All from another long ball forward from Fabianski...

Soucek wins first contact and flicks on to Antonio who does superbly to chest down and play a ball in behind for Bowen... Wonderful finish.

(What is Zinchenko doing?)

It's a great run but Oleksandr Zinchenko has been in a world of his own defensively so far. No awareness whatsoever and his reaction is even worse as he drops too deep and ends up playing Bowen onside.

Terrible defending.

HT 2-0

2-0 up at half-time against Man City!? We've defended brilliantly, rode our luck a little bit at times sure, but we've been clinical at the other end.

Antonio and Bowen outstanding. HT ratings coming now.

WEST HAM
Fabianski - 6
Coufal - 5
Dawson - 5
Zouma - 6
Cresswell - 7
Soucek - 8
Rice - 7
Bowen - 9
Lanzini - 7
Fornals - 6
Antonio - 9

MAN CITY
Ederson - 5
Cancelo - 6
Fernandinho - 8
Laporte - 8
Zinchenko - 6
Rodri - 6
De Bruyne - 5
Silva - 7
Mahrez - 7
Jesus - 8
Grealish - 7

I appreciate that not many of you will want to follow along late into the night but I decided I had to watch Arsenal implode and the weather's nice tomorrow so I'll be damned if I'm going to sit here and watch Man City's comeback then...

We're going now!

Where Silva/KDB had functioned as distributors either side of Rodri or as overlapping wide options in the first half, Pep has moved them into higher positions in the half-spaces with Zinchenko/Cancelo taking over in midfield.

This leaves Mahrez and Grealish in much more space.

This 235 shape is normal for City but the rotation of the roles within the system is key.

From memory, the biggest difference between the two halves was the involvement of Jack Grealish.

Freeing him up in this way to attack Bowen and Coufal at speed had a huge impact.

49' 2-1 Grealish.

Crucial for City to score early and they've done it. Straight back to halfway and there's that creeping feeling of inevitability...

Really disappointing goal from a West Ham perspective after failing to defend the second phase of a corner.

Dawson wins the first header but then we're really sluggish getting out and Antonio makes no kind of meaningful press to stop Zinchenko's ball back in.

Zouma 𝗵𝗮𝘀 to be stronger against Rodri and we're left with Bowen/Fornals in CM. No anticipation to pick up the second ball.

50' Chance.

Bad reaction to the goal as Soucek lets KDB get away from him to fire the ball across the six yard box.

Grealish is caught on his heels and misses a tap-in at the back stick. If he picks this up over the summer, he could have a frightening second season with City.

Rodri is running the game now. We're in serious trouble.

In the first 45, we had cut the pitch in half really well and screened City's opportunities to switch the play.

Now it's constant switches with Grealish & Mahrez always receiving pinned to the touchline in acres of space.

56' Chance.

Fabianski just about manages to save Silva's effort after Grealish kept the ball alive from Mahrez's cross.

We're on the ropes.

61' Chance.

Finally, a moment for us in the final third. Brilliant tackle from Rice on KDB to start this before Antonio chases down Zinchenko and forces a turnover.

Bowen dribbles past Rodri but fails to cut it back - Lanzini has got to attack the space more aggressively here!

Declan Rice, play the damn pass.

64' Huge chance.

Rice forces a horrible mistake out of Fernandinho which Antonio does brilliantly to anticipate but if you're going to shoot here (with Fornals just out of picture but square - open goal) then you kinda have to score...

City have been v sloppy in the last 5.

Absolutely rolling at Noble desperately trying to calm Antonio down from the touchline 😂😂😂

69' 2-2 Coufal (OG).

Oh, mate.

75' Huge chance.

That's our best move of the match.

Just brilliant football between Cresswell, Fornals, Antonio and Soucek. Beautifully constructed for Bowen who can't find the corner and Laporte blocks.

Got to say at this point, what a game this is!

The level is incredibly high and our deep defending and incisive countering has been as good as City's strangling dominance of the ball in the final third.

77' Lanzini off, NOBLE on.

For the last time at home then, Captain. ❤️

(Lanzini badly faded out in the second half, necessary switch.)

83' City Penalty (Dawson).

So this is a definite penalty when it comes to Dawson v Jesus but how does it work in terms of VAR given that there's a clear foul on Coufal by Grealish beforehand?

Genuine question.

86' Saved!

Fabianski, you f***ing legend! Great pen save too! He's so good at these.

89' Taylor watch.

After giving this a good break because it wasn't worth it (😂) I will note this one just because he's allowed Fernandinho to tackle through the back of Antonio all game and now when Mahrez throws himself to the deck after stamping on Cresswell- City FK.

90+2' Fornals off, Johnson on.

We'll take the draw, thanks. Great shift from Pablo.

90+5' Antonio off, Yarmolenko on.

The game is over but Yarma deserved a send off!

FT 2-2

Two managers who know they've been in a tough, tough match. What a game and what a brilliant, resolute West Ham performance. City were faultless for periods and we stood up to that amazingly well.

That was a pleasure to watch again. Great football match.

Player ratings #WHUMCI - WEST HAM

Fabianski - 8
Coufal - 4
Dawson - 6
Zouma - 6
Cresswell - 8
Soucek - 8
Rice - 8
Bowen - 8 ⭐️
Lanzini - 6
Fornals - 6
Antonio - 8

Player ratings #WHUMCI - MAN CITY

Ederson - 4
Cancelo - 7
Fernandinho - 7
Laporte - 8
Zinchenko - 6
Rodri - 8 ⭐️
De Bruyne - 6
Silva - 6
Mahrez - 7
Jesus - 8
Grealish - 8

#WHUMCI Match Flow via #MatchScore

#WHUMCI Match Race via #MatchScore

Really enjoyed this one. The ratings were tough.

Super impressive West Ham performance against an exceptional football team... Even when you defend brilliantly, the mental fatigue eventually gets you and things like the Coufal own-goal happen.

One to go before the break! 🎬✈️