West Ham's four passages of play against Manchester City that should make fans happy

There is a motivational question on a wall in Julen Lopetegui’s office, which reads: “What are you willing to do today to be better than yesterday?”

He may have posed a similar question to his team at half-time when they were 2-1 down against Manchester City on Saturday.

West Ham United fleetingly tested the reigning Premier League champions, but they were careless in possession and failed to play to the strengths of Mohammed Kudus and Michail Antonio. In keeping with the theme of the message on Lopetegui’s wall, however, his side improved after the break and showed their attacking potential.

They struck the woodwork twice, via Kudus and summer signing Crysencio Summerville, while Tomas Soucek also had a chance to make it 2-2 during an entertaining second half. At one stage, City’s manager Pep Guardiola fell to his knees when Kudus dispossessed Bernardo Silva to launch an attack. West Ham posed a threat and were in the game before Erling Haaland sealed his second hat-trick of the season seven minutes from time.

This fixture ended in the same result in September 2023, but on Saturday, the home crowd cheered the players off the field. The difference, 12 months on, is that this team had a go, as opposed to playing unadventurous football against a ‘Big Six’ side.

It kept the crowd engaged and the period from just before half-time when Kudus had a shot go just wide to around the 80th minute was the best example of the style of play Lopetegui wants to implement. The head coach initially had his head in his hands when a later strike by Kudus cannoned off the post, but he applauded his team shortly after. Although City weathered the storm, the forecast for life under Lopetegui is promising.

“We changed something for the second half, and it was much better as we had a lot more possession, created some chances,” right-back Vladimir Coufal told the club website. “We went to a back five and tried to get a bit higher up the pitch and put some pressure on them. It was working quite well until we conceded the third goal.”

Carlos Soler, who joined on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, was introduced to supporters before kick-off. The 27-year-old was West Ham’s ninth summer signing and will be eligible for selection in the next league game away to Fulham. After a summer expenditure of over £120million ($158m), the recruitment under technical director Tim Steidten has been viewed positively. As supporters made the short walk from Hackney Wick station to the London Stadium, one was overheard by The Athletic saying: “This was the best window of my lifetime, we can seriously challenge for Europe.”

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Lopetegui often says he does not want to put a limit on what West Ham can achieve, but Steidten has given him the tools to succeed, as was shown in the second-half performance. He will probably have learnt more about his side in this defeat, than in performances against Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth.

In the first half, West Ham’s expected goals was 0.05, they only attempted two shots and had 32 passes into the final third.

But after the restart, their expected goals improved to 0.62, they attempted eight shots, six of which were in the box and increased their passes into the final third to 61. The two tables also show City’s decline in a number of categories as they struggled to cope with West Ham aiming to take charge.

In his post-match press conference, Lopetegui said there are improvements his team can make. Although he did not name Lucas Paqueta, he will be referencing the opener City scored which came via the playmaker losing possession, and before Matheus Nunes assisted Haaland’s third goal, defender Konstantinos Mavropanos pulled out of a challenge. But there will be better days and these four passages of play highlight why.

Kudus had a strong effort on goal in first-half stoppage time. Having run at Rico Lewis, Kudus took a touch to the left before firing in as West Ham pushed for an equaliser. The Ghana international flashed his shot wide and it was a sign of things to come after the break as he made life difficult for City’s right-back.

Shortly after half-time, a scintillating counterattack, initiated by Kudus, provided plenty of encouragement for the players.

Lewis was City’s last man, with Kudus and Bowen aiming to capitalise. With 19-year-old Lewis back-tracking, Kudus crosses the halfway line and plays the ball to Bowen…

Bowen then threads a pass back to Kudus but his shot hits the post, with City breathing a sigh of relief.

Last season, Kudus and Bowen formed a close relationship on the field. Lopetegui plans to strengthen that bond this season. The next passage of play sees Bowen whip a cross into the box for Kudus, who is unmarked at the back post.

Kudus is unable to convert the header, but 10 minutes later Guardiola felt compelled to substitute Jeremy Doku for Ilkay Gundogan so he could offer more protection for their midfield. It is something from which Lopetegui can take satisfaction.

Summerville, the £25million arrival from Leeds United, made his first start in the Carabao Cup win against Bournemouth.

The winger missed a great chance in that game but came close to making up for it in stoppage time against City, only for Ederson to leap across to tip his curling effort onto the post.

There were plenty of good signs for West Ham. A truer picture of their style of play should take shape after the international break.

The biggest compliment for Lopetegui is many did not leave Saturday’s game feeling despondent, instead, they would have felt encouraged about the future.

(Top photo: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)