Irons Finally Burst City's Bubble

West Ham brought to an end League Cup serial winners' Manchester City's five year reign, actually it had been 1,827 since they were last defeated in the competition, ironically by Manchester United, who were of course the team Hammers beat at Old Trafford in order to face city in the next round, and ultimately to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals!

As you would expect Pep was gracious in defeat, unlike others. Guardiola in his post match presser said: "They are doing well in the Premier League, the Europa League and now they are in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup. A fantastic team, a fantastic manager."

Moyes made eight changes against City but his side dug deep to frustrate the visitors and have now kept four successive clean sheets. It wasn't ALL backs to the wall, Moyes' boys did create several chances of their own in normal time before the 'dreaded' penalties. To be totally honest, most fans were just amazed to have got to penalties, seeing that achievement as a victory in it's self, the atmosphere was tremendous, not as raucious as a normal game, but nevertheless a far cry from the doom laden atmosphere during most of the Pellegrini era.

Substitute Phil Foden missed the first penalty for City and Said Benrahma converted the final kick to give the Hammers victory in what is becoming an excellent season for Moyes Marauders. Stuartm Pearce came down from what has now become his permanent position in the 'eves' of the Stadium to say “You win some you lose some but with the resilience and the honesty we showed, we deserved to get over the line.”
It was rather fitting that official club captain Mark Noble took the first of Hammers penalties, the 34 year old sent his spot kick straight down the middle, to a thunderous reception from a rammed London Bowl, swiftly followed by pens from Jarrod Bowen, Craig Dawson, Aaron Cresswell and finally substitute Said Benrahma to smash home what was an incredibly high pressure kick.

The Stadium went MENTAL, there were a huge amount of youngsters in attendance but they were still able to generate an awful lot of noise, albeit rather more politely than say during the Tottingham game. Potentially a whole new generation of fans will have 'got the bug' as for many it will have been their very first live experience of a Hammers game, something they may forget initially as they play on their mobile phones, but you can guarantee that one day they will say "I was there", NOTHING and NO ONe can ever take that away from them!

Hammers fans celebrated the memorable victory with a rousing rendition of Bubbles, followed by Twist & Shout before the inevitable Sweet Caroline, which is in danger of being hijacked from the England International team by the burgeoning Irons. Whisper it quietly, but someone, somewhere in Theydon Bois would be running round saying "I told you so!", well they would if they weren't still in the isolation room that was specially constructed for them at the behest of manager David Moyes, AKA the Moyesiah!

Good times never seemed so good -ED