Man City's Champions League setback played role in loss to West Ham, says Thierry Henry
Monday 21 September 2015 12:24, UK
Man City's Champions League defeat to Juventus in midweek may have contributed to their surprise loss to West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday, says Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry.
Manuel Pellegrini's side went down 2-1 to West Ham at the Etihad on SNF, their first setback of the campaign after they had gone into the match on the back of a club-record 11-match winning run in the league stretching back to last season.
However, City's 2-1 defeat to Juve at Eastlands on Tuesday - a game in which they had led with just 20 minutes to go - will have played a role in Saturday night's shock loss against the Hammers, according to Henry.
"I think people do not realise that losing at home in the Champions League does have a massive impact on you," he said.
"You can pretend that it is all good and cool - I like the fact that he [Manuel Pellegrini] said we are not going to talk about David Silva not playing and all those excuses.
"They did not do what they had to do well in the first half and you also have to do your defensive job. You can't just go out there and try and outplay teams all the time. You have to do a bit - a minimum - to defend."
I think people do not realise that losing at home in the Champions League does have a massive impact on you
Meanwhile, former City striker Niall Quinn says Pellegrini's team need to show more "finesse" going forward if they want to overcome this setback and quickly get back to winning ways.
"There is a question mark now [about whether they can shrug this defeat off]," said Quinn. "We spoke in such glowing terms about them in the last few weeks.
"In the last few days we have seen all their old frailties come back. I used the phrase they had their pockets picked in midweek. I think they almost fought themselves a little bit [against West Ham] and Pellegrini said it himself about the rush and the speed at which they tried to do things to try and get back in the game.
"Slaven Bilic said that [Jesus] Navas had a great game, he was fast, but he has got to take his time and find passes.
"There has got to be a bit more finesse, and I cannot believe I am saying that about a Man City team!"
