@ West Ham

[gavin]

CITY XI: Ederson, Walker (C), Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Doku, Foden, Alvarez, Haaland

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Ake, Gomez, Nunes, Bobb, Lewis

About as expected given the injuries

[lee]

He still doesn't trust Phillips

[gavin]

To be fair, Bernardo v most people is a fairly easy choice.

[gavin]

Decent start from City, should have been ahead. Bad mistake from Doku for their goal and he didn't chase back properly but well finished. Haaland is missing too many chances this season and it is going to cost us. They look dangerous from corners but it helps that Antonio just obstructs Ederson and gets away with it.

[Stephen Paul]

Average first half with Haaland missing a couple

More urgency required or the dippers will be top

[Stephen Paul]

The bench is light, not many options

[gavin]

Well thats a decent start to the second half. Doku redeems himself!

[gavin]

A cracking win in the end. Fuck knows how many we will score when Haaland starts finishing properly. City were a class above West Ham in truth but the Hammers were dangerous on the break as is their favoured game.

[lee]

Excellent 3 points.
Doku is going to massive for us.

[reddishblue]

I was impressed by how the new signings and how they kind of knew the system. A well deserved win.

Incidentally, I was watching it on a stream and as soon as the final whistle blew it switched to the rags game for the last couple of minutes. I left it on...

[Neil Mcnab]

Doku just needed a few words from Pep and showed his true self in this game. If he plays like that Grealish will be on the bench. Who needs a season to settle in? Haaland, it looked like it wasnt going to happen, till it did. As for Phillips, barring serious injury to Rodri, will he ever get a look in?

[gavin]

Doku and Grealish can play on opposite wings and Doku has some way to go to match what Jack does in terms of keeping the ball and defending.

Phillips will play games in the cups and, as you suggest, he could become a key player in the event of a bad injury or two.

I'm loving that we're nine points ahead of the rags after five games. It is difficult to see them catching us already  .

[reddishblue]

Doku and Grealish can play on opposite wings and Doku has some way to go to match what Jack does in terms of keeping the ball and defending.

Phillips will play games in the cups and, as you suggest, he could become a key player in the event of a bad injury or two.

I'm loving that we're nine points ahead of the rags after five games. It is difficult to see them catching us already  .

I recommend we sign KDB in January as a precaution.

[Stephen Paul]

The Rags are in crisis with no quick solution on the horizon

When you think it couldn't get any worse it does!! 

Love it