Premier League match report Manchester City 2-0 West Hamby Will Unwin - last updated Sun 11 May 2014
As Brendan Rodgers will more than happily tell you, this Manchester City side is the most expensive ever seen in football, but they were given a free ride by West Ham on the last day of the season.Goals from Samir Nasri
and Vincent Kompany saw City ease to their well-deserved crown, rather than leave it until the last few seconds, as they did in 2012.
Seven of the starting XI – but only one Englishman, which will depress Greg Dyke - on Sunday against
West Ham were also in the team that defeated QPR 3-2 in dramatic fashion two years ago to seal the Premier League title, so were unwilling to give Liverpool a sniff.
City dominated from the early stages, but failed to test Adrian in the West Ham in the opening 25 minutes, as Yaya Toure controlled the centre of the park.
Upon the news that Newcastle were winning at title rivals Liverpool, the volume increased inside the Etihad as players and fans relaxed,
with Aleksander Kolarov firing one just over from 30 yards out.
Samir Nasri opened the scoring. Credit: PA
The visitors were forced to camp on the edge of their own box, as City passed the ball between in the final third,
waiting for the perfect opening to come with a patience permitted due to their lofty position.
It took until the 40th minute for City to get the party going, as the previously underwhelming Nasri picked up the ball 25 yards from goal,
shimmied and fired a shot across Adrian into the bottom corner, sending the Etihad into euphoria.
Fan favourite Pablo Zabaleta almost made it two just before the break, but West Ham were able to clear the danger
as fellow Argentine Sergio Aguero pulled the ball into the six-yard box for his marauding compatriot.
Sam Allardyce’s side were able to resist to some extent, but could offer little in the opposite direction,
as Andy Carroll found himself isolated against Martin Demichelis and Vincent Kompany, with rare support coming indifferent Stewart Downing.
Vincent Kompany celebrated in style. Credit: PA
City could have gone unto the break two goals to the good, but Silva’s shot from ten yards was deflected onto the bar by the lumbering boot of Carroll,
but the confidence in City’s play wasn’t going to be dented by such trivial matters.
It was fitting that Kompany struck the second – the ball bounced around the area after West Ham failed to clear a Nasri corner from the left,
allowing the skipper to smash the ball home from six yards out, as the party began in earnest.
Chants of “We’re not really here!” and the infamous Poznan were enjoyed by 46,000 home supporters,
fully in the knowledge it would take a miracle at Anfield and a cock up that neither Peter Swales nor Alan Ball could orchestrate at the Etihad.
Occasionally the fans, both home and away, remembered to chide the under-pressure Allardyce, as his future looks uncertain,
especially following this disappointing effort in East Manchester.
In the 65th minute, Silva was denied by a block once more, as his curling shot was diverted for a corner by a well-placed West Ham defender.
Sam Allardyce might have managed his last West Ham game. Credit: PA
Aguero should have put City out of sight in the 66th minute, but he mistimed his finish after a Zabaleta cross went through two West Ham defenders,
eventually hitting the striker on his calf, landing straight at Adrian’s feet.
Former England striker Carroll was withdrawn in the 72nd minute, at which point West Ham had not mustered a shot on target.
Fans were more appreciative when playmaker Silva was taken off to a standing ovation, allowing James Milner to join in the proceedings.
Things were becoming increasingly simple for City, as Nasri latched onto a chipped pass, alas firing straight at Adrian,
who was soon in a heap having fallen awkwardly catching a cross.
In the 84th minute the chant of ‘Stand up for the champions’ rung out around the Etihad, as even the most pessimistic supporter knew that City’s time had come once more.
It all got a bit tetchy in the final few moments as Aguero became embroiled with Mark Noble as West Ham tried to break,
forcing Winston Reid to take some retribution, resulting in the Argentine and the visiting skipper going in the book.
The conclusion was very simple, considering the rollercoaster of a season that the Premier League has seen, but the rightful winners came out on top.
http://www.itv.com/sport/football/article/2014-05-11/premier-league-match-report-manchester-city-2-0-west-ham/ [ 此帖被呀威在2014-05-12 01:50重新編輯 ]
