I felt kind of caught between two lines of thought when I woke up this morning. When we started the season two years ago at Arsenal, I was full of dread. The boring safety net was jettisoned, and the unknown of the swashbuckling attorney and fashion model was wreaking havoc on my intestines. And then he proved me wrong. Last season, I wasn’t exactly optimistic…..I don’t do that sort of thing….but I was calm. Intellectually curious about what the season would bring. And then he proved me wrong again. Both years delivered the polar opposite of what I was prepared for and anticipating. The last time we had a window that at least in hindsight was a rip roaring success was two years ago, Slaven’s rookie campaign. But hindsight is important there. None of us knew that Lanzini, Ogbonna, and that other guy would be as influential and successful as they were when they arrived. One could say the same thing for the summer of Sakho, Valencia, and Kouyate. This summer has been markedly different. While only time will tell if our newest Hammers will prove to be what we desperately hope they will be, it’s hard to cast aspersions on the people that brought them in over the business done. And if reports are accurate, another could be on the way.
If I had to choose which way my emotions were leaning going into today, I’m sorry to say they were on the anxious side. That’s more about my choice to start every West Ham related activity depressed and hope for a pleasant surprise than actual dissection of the squad. Based on what I saw, optimism would have been ridiculous.
One of the attributes we all know about Arnautovic is his attitude. Either reprehensible or brilliant, depending on your point of view. In the 4th minute, we got our first glimpse of his mindset when he appeared to have caught Valencia with his arm while trying to turn with the ball. While Valencia tried to show Atkinson his dental work, Arnautovic went on the run and caught up to a pass from Masuaku. While nothing came of it, it did bring a wry smile to my face.
By the tenth minute, Manchester United looked to have settled in and started to dominate possession. West Ham were trapped in their final third, and the hope for the visitors was likely to simply survive the onslaught. Pogba went around Masuaku like our left back was standing still, Noble brought down Rashford right at the edge of the area, and when Manchester United won a corner in the 15th minute it already felt like a rough day was in the cards. Yet the hosts didn’t manage a shot on target, so if West Ham wanted to look for a silver lining that would have to suffice.
Manchester United probably should have opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Mata broke down the left and tried to slip the ball past Hart at the near post. The former Citeh keeper slid out to block the shot, but Mata regained possession and slid the ball into the box towards Lukaku. Those words usually end with me typing “and Lukaku scored”. But a tangle of bodies and feet got in the way and West Ham cleared the ball from danger.
Temporarily.
This may sound odd due to its obvious nature, but the absence of Lanzini and any creativity in the midfield was beyond transparent. West Ham couldn’t string together more than a fistful of passes, and even those had no purpose. So that begged the question we have asked for a looooong time. If Lanzini isn’t out there for whatever reason, who can we turn to? I’m excited about the prospect of Carvalho arriving week. But unless he has artistry in his locker along with his strength I fear we will need more.
In the 27th minute, Pogba showed why on his day he is one of the best. He looped a pass behind the defense to Mata running towards Hart. The Spaniard sent the ball across the mouth of goal with Lukaku the intended target but Reid was able to get there in the nick of time and clear.
When Mourinho made Matic a primary target, it raised a few eyebrows. Why would Conte let him go? True, he wasn’t an automatic pick last season when Chelsea won the title. Yet to sell him to a rival at the top of the table to a guy who knows how to get the best of him? In the 33rd minute, we got a firsthand glimpse of what The Special One was thinking. Matic won the ball from Obiang in midfield and immediately sent Rashford on a run. Rashford slid the ball to Lukaku streaking into the box, who then beat Hart at the near post for a pinball goal. Lukaku scored, but Matic made it happen.
Manchester United 1
West Ham 0
Despite the brutal one sided nature on the first half, West Ham should have equalized in the final seconds of first half injury time. Hernandez headed the ball to the right side of Manchester United penalty area where Ayew ran it down and slid it back into the box. Noble back heeled it into the center of the area to Fernandes, but his shot from ten yards in front of goal went straight at deGea.
Halftime
Manchester United 1
West Ham 0
The second half continued the theme of the first half, albeit in a more muted form to start. But in the 50th minute, with the speed of a spider you’re trying to catch in your kitchen, Lukaku sent Rashford blazing down the left past Zabaleta but his shot went over the bar. Two minutes later, Mkhitaryan stepped over a free kick from 30 yards out and sent the ball into the box for Lukaku to easily head the ball past Hart. I couldn’t help but think about goal differential less than hour into the first week.
Manchester United 2
West Ham 0
In the 59th minute, the Hammers had a mini revival. At least in spirit. Masuaku sent an arching pass into the box where Arnautovic did well to stay onside and force deGea to palm the ball over the crossbar. Minutes later, Ayew came close to a ball headed into the box by the recently introduced Sakho before it rolled wide. As bad as things have been, the game of inches could have had this all even at two on another day. In another universe, but whatever.
If anybody doubts that Rashford is going play this game at a high level for a long time, they should apologize somehow. The man-child went on a marauding run down the left in the 65th minute and unleashed a wicked shot that beat Hart and clanged off the far post.
When Sakho came on, he was joined by Declan Rice. In the 68th minute, the lad showed skill and composure when he found Hernandez cutting across the right side. Hernandez tried a cross but there was nobody there to reach it. On a day there was very little to cheer about, it was nice to see a young player not look terrified of the intimidating surroundings of Old Trafford.
In the 71st minute…..my wife called about something from a store. I attempted to politely answer her questions and sound interested in what she was saying. During that phone exchange, Blind came close to a third. Over the bar on the bounce, I think. Not sure from who.
West Ham could have pegged one back in the 78th minute when Masuaku sent a cross field pass that dropped to Arnautovic unmarked on the right, 15 yards from goal. The final product was not worth describing.
In the 88th minute, Mkhitaryan made a one touch pass to send Martial into the box to score the third goal for the hosts. A minute later, Pogba scored their fourth. No reason to go into more detail. I want to mow the lawn now. More fun than this, I’m guessing.
Final Score
Manchester United 4
West Ham 0
Let’s be honest. It was a score line that accurately represented the flow of the match and the relative quality of the two sides. The vast majority of us expected precisely nothing from today. And that is precisely what we got. To be honest, I’m glad we got this fixture out of the way because Manchester United are my pick to win the league. We lacked creativity in the midfield, and it showed. And if we don’t add some, all the great work of this transfer window could be for nothing.
And we all know who will pay the price for that.