The dictionary defines apathy as such;
Absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.
Perhaps the most damning indictment of our club and the way its run, or run down, is that apathy is the prevailing emotion of more than a few supporters. We are the 18th biggest club in the world, and we are a shambles the likes of which even we have never experienced. And that’s saying something. So instead of waking up anxious, angry, or even hopeful beyond reason I simply cannot care right now. I will not prioritize our matches over family fun or even household chores anymore. Not while this gang are in charge. Yes, I’m a little late to the party. But thankfully those that sounded the alarm bells years ago have made it clear there is no ill will towards a former believer like me. Claret & Blue is indeed stronger than whatever the current regime want to replace it with. I turned on the TV at 11:00am sharp, mostly because I didn’t want to hear any of the pre-game funeral planning for our very possible demise.
I have been so tuned out of West Ham news since Wednesday I wasn’t even aware Adrian was in goal until the ninth minute when Rice put the ball out for a corner and the TV cameras showed him. Loan rules, I know. Nor did I know Antonio was inexplicably was inserted as the lone striker until a minute later when I checked the starting eleven. Sakho must be a target of a sniper and cannot be seen in public. Only reason I can fathom.
West Ham created the first goal scoring opportunity of the match in the seventh minute off of a corner. Cresswell curled the set piece into the box and Kouyate headed towards the far post. Antonio dove in to meet the ball but sent it over the bar.
West Ham asked another question in the 15th minute when Masuaku sent a low cross to Antonio, who had beaten Mangala in front of Ederson and for a second I thought perhaps we might open the scoring. But the City keeper gathered the ball before Antonio could gather his thoughts. Seconds later a slightly more ominous event took place when Rice entered Mike Dean’s book.
Adrian did well to keep the game scoreless in the 25th minute when Silva sent a long shot from twenty yards out that deflected off Rice, forcing the Spaniard to dive to his right and send the ball over the bar for a corner. To be fair, it was the first real chance the league leaders had. So as shape went, West Ham had kept theirs rather well up to that point.
In the 35th minute, the Manchester City defense made the kind of mistake in their box that we are used to seeing from our lot on a weekly basis. The error sprang Lanzini in on goal on the right side of the Manchester City eighteen yard box. He took his shot quickly and for a millisecond it looked to be in the back of the net. Unfortunately it hit the side netting.
Late in the first half, my sniper theory took a big hit when Sakho came on for Kouyate. Within a minute he won a corner, which brought a huge roar from the visiting supporters. It paled in comparison to the roar when Cresswell sent a cross into the box that Ogbonna headed past Ederson, and probably sent Pep into an internal apoplectic rage.
Halftime
Manchester City 0
West Ham 1
West Ham began the second half rather well, winning an early corner and defending the inevitable City barrage. Jesus had a shot at close range after City had moved the ball around in and around the West Ham penalty area. Adrian made the save, although I think the flag went up. I can only “think” because my satellite hiccuped at the precise moment of the shot.
In the 57th minute City got the equalizer we all knew would come when Jesus made a run on the right side of the box, directly at the West Ham defense. Otamendi was able to get around Rice in front of Adrian and tap the ball into the back of the net.
Manchester City 1
West Ham 1
City kept up the pressure, no surprise, but to be fair West Ham did well to hold the best team in the EPL to shots from outside. And if you said we looked more confident in front of Adrian than we have with Hart, I might not argue. From a defensive and strategic vantage point, the first seventy minutes deserved praise, regardless of the outcome.
City won a the first of two corners in the 77th minute when Sterling, deBruyne and Jesus combined in the box and a goal looked certain but the final piece of the puzzle alluded them and all they won was another corner.
In the 81st minute, about as against the run of play as you could get, Antonio was sent on a run down the left. He cut to his right and let a long range shot go that forced Ederson into a diving save to his left. One minute later, the winner we all knew was coming came. deBruyne lobbed a pass over the West Ham defense. Like a wide receiver in the NFL, Silva followed the ball over his shoulder and was able to guide it past Adrian.
Manchester City 2
West Ham 1
The Hammers had two late chances on counters, but with Antonio streaking into the box the cross from Sakho was too high. To add salt to the scratch, Antonio looked to have pulled a calf muscle. In the 90th, Arnautovic was able to win the ball on the right. His pass back to Sakho was excellent, but the wantaway striker missed the target completely to the left of Ederson’s goal. That should have been a miracle late equalizer for us.
Final Score
Manchester City 2
West Ham 1
I was prepared to write a conclusion at halftime, figuring the score would be laughable by that time. But West Ham showed fight and a little bit of nous. I’m still very, very concerned about relegation. But while I am still ashamed of the action of our club off the pitch, at least today I didn’t have to feel ashamed of the action on it.