Pundit Gary Neville asked the Sky Sports data team to check a potential dire West Ham pass statistic live on air during the first half against Man City.
It was a serious backs to the wall job for West Ham in the first half against the defending Premier League champions.
The Hammers started well in the first few minutes.
But it was all Man City thereafter. An injury to Lukasz Fabianski saw Alphonse Areola come on in his place.
And his first real involvement saw him left with little choice but to bring down Erling Haaland for a penalty after Ben Johnson and Kurt Zouma had been caught napping by his clever run.
The towering Norwegian made no mistake from the spot to give Man City a deserved 1-0 lead against an ultra defensive West Ham side that has offered very little in the game.
Gary Neville asks Sky Sports data team to check dire West Ham pass statistic live on air during Man City clash
And co-commentator Neville believes West Ham may be on course to set an unwelcome new record after the first half at the London Stadium.
Just before the break Neville asked the Sky Sports data team to check a dire West Ham pass statistic live on air during the Man City clash.
“It’s one for the stats team but I’ve never seen a team have less (successful) passes than there are minutes (in a game),” Neville said on Sky Sports as the clocked ticked onto 45 minutes.
“Seventy (successful) passes for West Ham, 45 minutes gone.
“Someone will look at it, I’m sure.
“(Although) there’s probably loads of them (similarly poor pass completion stats) that have played against City!”
Man City are clearly on a completely different level to the Hammers.
But the lack of ambition and quality on the ball when West Ham do have it has been alarming.
Man City had 79% possession to West Ham’s 21%.
And West Ham made just 106 passes in total – 70 of them successful – in the first half compared to Man City’s 403.
To West Ham’s credit they have been pretty well organised. But it is the first game of the season and a record ever Hammers crowd want to see their side give it more of a go at times.
You do have to feel for David Moyes, though, his squad is nowhere near as strong as it should be.
Let’s hope West Ham can up it significantly in the second half.
Roy Keane called for West Ham to show more quality and bravery to give the 62,500 fans in attendance something to shout about.