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Tempuri Or Battered Pundits Predict Hammers At The Etihad

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Wed, 27/02/2019 - 12:19

Last time we at the Org remembered, Barclays Premier league football was a game played between two teams each comprising of eleven players with three substitutes available to be used from the bench, the game is played on a pitch, not paper and usually the visitors supporters out sing the home crowd for much of the match. To read some of the pundits and fans comments there seems little point in West Ham even turning up to play all conquering Manchester City at the Etihad for this evening's fixture.

The prognosis being that City, despite having a mini injury crisis, have such strength in depth and will blow the Hammers away with their slick football. That may eventually be the case, but to down tools before the match is disgraceful both for the other teams in the Premier League and the fans who will have travelled a fair old distance for this rearranged fixture, many of which will be heavily out of pocket having originally booked travel and in some cases accommodation for Tuesday night when the match was originally going to be played.

Much in the same way as Mike tyson in his prime or the West Indies cricket team in their pomp in the seventies, many opponents were beaten before they even started, and it wasn't until Lennox Lewis and the Aussies changed peoples' perception about the 'unbeatable'. Sure enough the once indestructibles began to get beaten, after all they were only mere human beings who were perceived to be better than they actually were, and it is this mind set that the West Ham players need to be aware of.

City have already had their 'mini wobble' suffering three defeats to lowly opposition, but the fact that they did lose a string of games with virtually a full squad available proves that even Pep's men can be vulnerable to teams that refuse to bow to their superiority. It all comes back to perception and intent, if Hammers go out to press City they will get punished, but for once Manuel Pellegrini, who will be returning to the Etihad for the first time as an opposing manager, has a surfeit of attacking options. If City are to be given a good game it is vital that Marko Arnautovic starts up top as he has the physicality to 'bully' City's defence, and although Samir Nasri might play against his former club it is highly likely that Pablo Zabaleta will be rested and that Ryan Fredericks will start due to his lightening pace that he possesses.

City need to win this game in order to maintain their title challenge and the possibility of doing the 'quadruple', Hammers need it to chase a Europa League Cup spot, Huddersfield's victory over Wolves will have definitely provided an added incentive for the pursuit of seventh spot. Manuel Pellegrini has talked about rotating the teams to play against City and then against Newcastle just three days later, but at least he now has what is beginning to resemble a squad as opposed to a M.A.S.H unit! The pundits reckon Hammers will be battered, or could that be tempuried? - Ed

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Everyone including myself thought it would be a cricket score v Liverpool a couple of weeks back.yes we may get battered but on the other hand,when the CHIPS are down we may just perform & make a WALLY of pep!!

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