13 Comments

Defender set to return for Irons

Sam-Byram-637845Slaven Bilic looks set to recall Sam Byram as the Irons look for a morale boosting win over Middlesborough at the London Stadium tomorrow (Sat).

The right back has been out of favour since a poor game against Watford but the boss looks likely to bring him back with Alvera Arbeola playing on the left side.

Winston Reid and Angelo Ogbonna are set to form the central defensive partnership with Cheik Kouyate and Mark Noble planted in front of the back line.

The manager will need to decide whether he gives Pedro Obiang a chance in midfield or stick with Manuel Lanzini who left the action injured last week and maybe hasn’t been up to full throttle. But it would be perhaps unfair to single him out given the form of the remainder!

With Antonio, Payet and Zaza making up the rest of the side we would expect Slav to name this team: Adrian; Byram, Reid, Ogbonna, Arbeola; Kouyate, Noble, Lanzini, Antonio, Payet, Zaza.

 

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

13 comments on “Defender set to return for Irons

  1. Lets get through this match & then with any luck fingers crossed & all that we should have some more lads back after the international break.
    A Payet freekick to win it tomorrow & shut up some our fickle fans who are turning on him already!! 😛

  2. I’d play Byram at left back where he covered for us in pre-season. Arbeloa needs to be at right back as that is where he will play most games this season. We need to get this back 4 as stable as possible.

    Obiang has to play at the expense of one of the attacking set (Lanzini, Payet, Zaza and Antonio). Start the game defensive, get to half time and then 60 keeping it tight, bring on the attackers for whomever is tired or poor. Build from the back!

    • Master
      That’s what we tried to do against Southampton and failed.This was well pointed out by Savage and Kilbane on MOTD 2. Our fullbacks are to deep and thus a to bigger gap between our front 4. That’s why he tried to make Antonio our attacking full back. I think Obiang should play instead of Kouyate and Noble further forward where he has a good understanding with Payet and Lanzini. Would prefer Antonio up front with Fernandes in midfield but we won’t see it.

  3. Still persisting with Zaza ! Still no Oxford ! Sorry it’s time for change. I would change the system, play Oxford and Ogbanna in a back three either side of Reid. Lanzini and Kouyate in front of these. Arbeloa at right back with Tore at left back. Payet in the 10 role with Antonio and Calleri up top. A far better team than the one above

  4. Sorry in my opinion just !!

  5. Tore as LB?? Ok i get it now Johnham you come here on the wind up.I took me a while to work it out but i get it now.

  6. Can I get a pint of whatever johnham1 is on please? Tore at left back – Are you barking mad?

  7. This team if selected is one change from last week , and you could say an enforced one as Nordveit is injured according to the physio room . The team needs a much greater shake up , at least one of Noble/Kouyate must be dropped . How many more chances do they get ?
    Obiang deserves a start .
    Zaza , gets 30 mins in my view – off then if no impression .
    Lanzini/Payet – rocket up their behinds – haul them off if not doing their jobs .

  8. Which of our midfielders is the equivalent of Kante, Wanyama, Guaye, Fernandino, Henderson, Amarty, etc? The holding midfielder who sits and protects. Who shifts into the gaps fullbacks leave when forward. The one who attacks thier breaking attacker allowing others to drop back. Without Obiang or Nordtveit in that role, nobody.

  9. They have called Alex Pike into the squad presumably as cover in case Arbeloa or Byram get injured. For me Reid and Ogbonna will never work, Slav has his full backs positioned incorrectly in a back 4, they both take up positions ahead of the centre backs, having seen Arbeloa, Masuaku, Byram and Antonio when he has played there all adopt the same position which is not natural for any defensively minded full back I have come to the conclusion this positioning is coming from the mgmt, it is also one reason we leaked goals at the end of last season and the start of this, its easy with three men passing to open up the defence, if Slav played a flat back 4 and if when one overlaps the winger covers we would be a lot more solid, unfortunately both Antonio and Payet have stopped covering their defenders and Tore or Feghouli are no better. Its a simple fix that just by playing as a team we can solve. The team I would like to see is Randolph, Arbeloa, Oxford, Ogbonna or Reid, Byram as the defensive 5, Obiang and Fernandes sitting, Antonio and Payet wide, Fletcher and either Callieri, Zaza or Martinez partnering him, in other words a standard 442 which can also operate as a diamond. This will mirror Boro’s likely formation but it should prove more difficult to break down. I think we should invite them on be hard to break down but counter with the pace we have. I don’t think that is the team he will play but it is what I hope he tries, looking forward to the match tomorrow am in the TB upper which has been my least favourite viewing spot on my various outings so far but I will love it if we win COYI !!!

  10. For me it has to be Ogbonna at LB with Arbeloa at RB with Oxford partnering Reid as CB. Obiang holding with Kouyate and Fernandes in front as they’re both box to box midfielders. Payet left and then either Antonio right with Zaza up top or Feghouli right with Antonio up top

Comments are closed.