Sergio, West Ham 2 vs. 2 City

"It was a close game for both teams and a good game for both sets of fans. It was end to end because both teams play in an attacking way”, Manuel Pellegrini - 23/1/2016

Goals; Valencia 1', 56';Aguero 9, 81’

Line Up (4-2-3-1); Hart, Sagna, Clichy, Otamendi, Demichelis, Toure, De Bruyne, Delph (Iheanacho 76'), Silva (Fernando 83'), Aguero, Navas (Sterling 67')

Stats;Possession, 54%/46%; Shots, 10(3)/16(3); Fouls, 11/15

I am still undecided as to whether this was a point saved, or two dropped. In terms of what has been written on these pages as to the best and worst of City this season, we saw both today, on what will be City's last visit to the Boleyn Ground; as West Ham move on to their new home at the Olympic Stadium at the end of the season.

Having seen, perhaps, the best way to deploy Yaya last week verses Crystal Palace (high up the pitch impacting play in the opposition half). He was again dropped back to play in a two, this time with Fabian Delph (another player who had excelled last week), to play in a 4-2-3-1. The hope, perhaps, was that West Ham would sit deep, as they had in their smash and grab at the Etihad earlier in the season; and that Delph's dynamism would make up for Yaya's lack of agility when West Ham played on the break.

West Ham, however, had not read the script, and went for the City weak points from the kick off, pressing City into surrendering possession cheaply. The ball was released to Kouyate, who with a burst of pace was past Yaya and into the box. Delph seeing the panic was drawn to the ball, leaving Valencia alone to ghost to the edge of the area and pick up on the attempted clearance from Kouyate's cross, and strike the ball home. 1-0 and less than one minute on the clock. It was shockingly simple, and utterly predictable. 

Luckily City maintain a resolve, and the class of player, to discount such early disappointments. This time it was Kun Aguero who stepped up to take the game to West Ham.  On 6' he latched onto a pass from Yaya, that most players would not even have chased, and somehow lobbed Adrian from an acute angle, only to see the ball bounce out from the inside of the right post. On 8' he again bustled into the box latching onto a one-two with David Silva, and out muscling Jenkinson, who mistimed his challenge and brought the Argentinian down, penalty.  For once the referee saw the offence, and Aguero coolly stepped up and sent Adrian the wrong way , placing the ball low left to score his eleventh EPL goal of the season.

The rest of the first half played out much as expected. West Ham played on the outnumbered City midfield (Payet in particular impressing as he harassed and tricked his way across City's back four) without really creating a clear cut chance. City for their part made good enough use of their 54% possession, but again lacked incisiveness in the final third. The remaining highlight of the half was played out by Payet and Joe Hart. Demechelis gave away a necessary free-kick scything down Valencia 22 yards from goal. Payet stepped up and struck a sweet effort up and over the City wall, which on any other day was a certain goal. Hart slightly un-sighted by the wall, managed not only to get across the goal but to dive high left and get a strong left hand on the ball to turn it round the post. A world class save from a world class free-kick. 

No changes in formation or line up at the start of the second half did not bode well, and was surprising given the way City have swapped both effectively in recent months.  Despite that, City came close on 54' with Delph's deflected effort from the edge of the box striking the post, and were again matching West Ham, restricting the home side's efforts to dead ball situations.  So when on 56' a nothing throw-in on the right, and an Otemendi brain fart, gifted West Ham their second goal, it was a nasty surprise.

The substitutions, when they came, were also surprising. Navas made way for Sterling in a like for like swap on 67', when the expected substitution was to bolster the midfield or add a further striking option. Iheanacho was eventually introduced on 76', and it was this change that saw the first real signs of doubt from West Ham. Slowly City started to turn the tide, gaining more possession and edging further into the West Ham half. Five minutes after his introduction Iheanacho, together with Aguero rescued the match. The young Nigerian drove into the right of the box and had the composure to the slide the ball left to Aguero, who slotted home for his second of the match and his 90th all time EPL goal.

Although City continued to press and boss the game, it was perhaps West Ham who had the most clear cut chance to take the spoils, when with the last play of the match, Payet lobbed a well weighted long free-kick into the box which was headed over by Collins.

So an away point, which sees City drop slightly behind Leicester, with Arsenal still to play Chelsea on Sunday. But a remaining nagging doubt that we continue to leave points on the table by learning from the matches where it clicks, and making the best of our players.

@l0ngwayfr0mh0me