Today’s game at Sheffield United is hugely important from where I’m sitting.
We’ve had an unexpectedly fine start to the season.
However, we have a decent record of performing against top sides but the usual chickens could have come home to roost in a big way against Fulham.
Imagine how a draw – or defeat – would have been greeted. It didn’t happen but it was a close run thing and that we were breathing deep sighs of relief at the end was so typically West Ham.
We have not usually been at our best after an international break – today we need to be. we need to put a bottom of the table team with just one point to their name firmly in their place.
Whether we have Mikey Antonio or not doesn’t matter in reality – good teams put struggling teams in their place and if we can sort out the Blades – as we finally did Fulham – we may just start to believe that David Moyes dream of putting our frustrating years of inconsistency behind us can actually become a reality.
Here’s the team we expect to see line up: Fabianski, Coufal, Diop, Oggy, Cresswell; Rice, Soucek, Fornals, Bowen, Masuaku, Haller.
Hugh – I agree with what you say and also with your selected XI – but since we are now playing 5 – 4 – 1 why not give your team in that formation?
Fab ; Courfal Diop Oggy Cresswell Masuaku ; Bowen Rice Soucek Fornals ; Haller
(This also applies to when we are asked to select our teams – let us pick the team in 5- 4 – 1 rather than in 4 – 2 – 3 – 1)
The real issue is that Sheffield United normally beat us. We’ve had a bad record against them since they’ve been in the prem. so we’re hoping that this season will be different. This is football though and only a matter of time till Sheffield get their act together. Sod’s law says it will be against us.
All down to Moyes, Sheff Utd have nothing up top while we have options galore, will Moyes use them though ??? We can score 3 or 4 today while Sheff Utd will be lucky to get 1 attack and use the subs after 45 if it’s not going out way, be proactive Moyes not reactive, the games there for the taking
It would be a return to the norm if we lose today. , but I don’t think we will . There’s something about this “ new look , west ham “ recently that leaves you with a bigger sense of optimism than you would normally have had this time last year . It’s virtually impossible to predict a scoreboard but I’m half expecting all three points today ,,, why ? , well just because we are looking more confident and resilient of late . Our heads didn’t go down against Fulham , or any other team for that matter and so there is no reason to think we won’t start this game with the same fortitude and desire . There are no easy games in the Premiership for any club
To put things in context : I would be more worried for my team if I supported Man City than I am supporting West Ham United .