Listen Manchester City put in a fashion show of a performance on Wednesday against West Ham United, taking a 3-0 win at the Etihad Stadium. This bit of magic catapulted City to the top of the Premier League, if only temporarily. On the other end of the table, West Ham still can’t catch a break. Following the match, West Ham’s head coach Nuno Espirito Santo expressed his growing concerns about the club’s position in the league, emphasizing the need for improvement.
The match even included a first-half blitz for the ages. West Ham were on the backfoot, unable to produce any expected goals (xG) and not registering a shot on target at all. City were a constant show of attacking muscle, seizing the initiative early and rarely releasing the pressure during the match. The outcome capped a dramatic turnaround for Manchester City, their third Premier League victory in a row.
West Ham’s Struggles
Nuno Espirito Santo didn’t hold back when asked what kind of state West Ham find themselves in right now. The team had already been struggling in all aspects of play over the last few games, and their performance against City only exacerbated this statement.
“We are concerned for the situation,” – Nuno Espirito Santo
After the game, he expressed disappointment in their performance. Although they did have seven shots and produced two big chances in the second half, it simply wasn’t enough firepower to pose a threat to their opponents. He noted that although he is presented with chances, his players need to show more courage in-game.
“With the positions we have to be brave,” – Nuno Espirito Santo
Espirito Santo explained that dangerous building has to be corrected if West Ham wants to escape the relegation zone. He stated, “I said to my players: ‘Merry Christmas for everyone but it will not be enough if we do not improve’.”
Guardiola’s Demands for Bravery
Though it was a triumphant result, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was scathing in his criticism of his team’s display. He challenged his players to show more “positional courage.” He warned that what they are doing now will not be sufficient to face the challenges yet to come.
“With the ball we are not good,” – Pep Guardiola
Guardiola trained in on what made their style of play so dangerous. He challenged his players to raise their game as they seek to play with the best in the world. He emphasized that they may have earned the three points, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
“If they follow me we will be there, but we have to improve,” – Pep Guardiola
Guardiola is trying to get his team to play a more aggressive and imposing style. He pushes this as they prepare for the start of their season in a few weeks.
Phil Foden’s Impressive Form
One of the standout performers for Manchester City was Phil Foden, who scored his sixth goal in four Premier League games. His ability to score at will has been the most important weapon in Indy’s defensive shutout winning streak.
Guardiola’s expectations for Foden were always sky high. His comments were that for all the England under-21 man’s finishing ability, there were deficiencies in his overall game that were in need of rectifying.
“I never saw Messi doing these kind of things,” – Pep Guardiola
This remark serves as a strong reminder of Guardiola’s all around demanding mentality and desire to extract greatness from his players. City are on a seven-game winning streak in all competitions. The new manager is ambitious to perfect each micro-detail of their execution.
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