During Manchester City’s 5-0 thrashing over West Ham, many neutrals pointed out a familiar tactic City once again implemented. City committed 13 fouls during their trip to the London Stadium, which was over double the amount of fouls West Ham committed.
Most of the City fouls occurred when West Ham players approached the opposition box, with Spaniard Manuel Pellegrini labelling these fouls as ‘tactical,’ according to the Guardian.
The shrewd tactic for City didn’t go down well with rival fans, especially with fans of Merseyside giants Liverpol. One fan expressed his outrage on Twitter, claiming that city are ‘getting away’ with the so called ‘tactical’ fouls.
Twitter: @becam999 @ManCity @WestHamUtd If you can name a side that gets away with fouls more than City does then please enl… https://t.co/H9n2qEUcfs (@Anfielder247
Twitter: @BBCSport Man City committed 8 professional fouls in the 1st half yesterday, each time to break up a WHU counter-at… https://t.co/MQUTWOGmlL (@StephenBlakeman)
Twitter: Why do pundits comment lightly on cities tactics of ‘just a little foul here and there to stop their rhythm’? It’s… https://t.co/y1iSc2boPu (@AM_HC)
West Ham manager Pellegrini describes the tactical fouling as ‘not the right way to play football’ and the Hammers boss then held a grudge with Guardiola by saying:
I didn’t like the way Guardiola’s team played against us, City used tactical fouls to stop us.
