West Ham-Manchester City 0-2: Haaland brace, Scamacca makes his debut

by our correspondent Davide Chinellato

August 7
– LONDON

Yes, Erling Haaland is a cyclone. One that can give the City a dimension that he hasn’t had for a long time. The Norwegian striker comes to the Premier League with a brace, the signing on the 2-0 with which the English champions pass at West Ham, in which Gianluca Scamacca makes his debut in the second half. It was also the first in the league for Haaland, who failed in Community Shield last Saturday. “Don’t worry – Guardiola had said -, he had the opportunities but he didn’t transform them. He will do it, be sure”. On the next occasion, Haaland proved that his manager was right, and that the anticipation with which his arrival at City was met is absolutely justified.

SCAMACCA

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Moyes on the eve had said that Scamacca was not yet ready, but he took him to the bench and sent him on the field after 57 ‘in place of Antonio, a very exploited central point of his 4-2-3-1. Scamacca is placed in the position of center forward, but thanks to the City’s game system he often remains isolated between Dias and Ake. He touches the first good ball in the 73rd minute, when his splendid header that forces Ederson to overtake him to prevent him from scoring is canceled for offside. But as the minutes pass, he grows, getting more into the maneuver. It is evident that this was just a taste, that Scamacca needs to know West Ham and the Premier and his teammates need to know him. But it was the first step in a marriage that everyone in the West Ham household, including Scamacca himself, is perfect for both of them.

CHECK CITY

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Guardiola deploys his City with full-backs Walker and Cancelo who are in fact the central midfielders together with Rodrigo and a line of 5 forwards of which Haaland is the central pivot. He is the key to crushing West Ham, to force Moyes to effectively move Soucek and Rice back to the defenders’ line. It’s hot at the London Stadium, filled with 62,500 people (new home record for a West Ham game), and City’s dense passing pattern seems perfect for controlling the game. Instead he ends up putting her to sleep, because Guardiola’s team has ball possession from Bulgarian percentages but the shots on goal are only Haaland’s two goals. The Norwegian is much more involved in the maneuver than the challenge with Liverpool: he dictates the passes in depth, he does not touch the ball as much as his teammates but tries to be the central point of reference. And he succeeds in the two goals, when he receives the ball vertically, sending the West Ham defense haywire. Besides him, the most inspired of the City are De Bruyne and Gundogan. The Hammers do not demeritate, but they let themselves be crushed by their opponents and in attack they combine too little, even when Scamacca enters. But it is not against City that Moyes’ team can become “the first of the others”, as he aspires to be.

THE MATCH

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City closed the first half with 78.6% of ball possession, but the only shot on goal was the penalty that Haaland converted in the 36th minute. He had procured it himself, making himself lie down by Areola (who had entered for a few minutes instead of the injured Fabianski), who had cleverly dribbled on the cue of the inventive Gundogan. A goal to celebrate in his own way, sitting on the lawn, submerged by the embrace of his new teammates. Scamacca’s career in the Premier League begins at minute 57, in the middle of the attack in place of the bruised Antonio. He and Benrahma, the other substitute, should pick up the pace of Moyes’ side, but City still hit the mark. Again with Haaland, who finally receives a through ball (splendid, by De Bruyne) as he asked for the whole game: Zouma cannot keep him and the new public enemy number 1 of the Premier defenses has time to prepare the left to put Areola and give Guardiola’s team the 2-0 in the 65th minute. Scamacca tries to get noticed in the 72nd minute but is offside when he heads Ederson. Then Guardiola removes Haaland and City controls without problems. Giving himself three points thanks to his new phenomenon.