Sundays 5.30 pm kick of is now crucial for West Ham United if the Hammers have any remaining hopes for avoiding relegation. Tottenham’s two point gap is serious but not unassailable but West Ham simply must throw caution to the wind and go all-in for three points.
The Magpies themselves have little to play for and are already talking of their summer transfer window and next season. 46 points leaves the Magpies well short of European places with just two games to play, so Irons supporters and management alike will hope that their hosts are mentally already on the beach.
In an interview today winger Harvey Barnes has made a frank admission that says much about his team’s mindset.
Barnes has a good scoring record against West Ham but admits his Newcastle side have mindset issues, much as the West Ham of last year
Eddie Howe’s side have endured a disappointing season, dropping 27 points from winning positions this term, from which the Hammers must seek to capitalise in their quest for a win.
Reported in chroniclelive.co.uk, Barnes has admitted that the Magpies have a huge tactical flaw that they need to fix:
“Harvey Barnes lifts lid on Newcastle dressing room fury after frightening issue emerges
… Newcastle United star Harvey Barnes admits that the Magpies are struggling with a mentality issue – after dropping a frightening 27 points from winning positions this season.
“When we go ahead in games it’s something that we’ve not dealt with well enough. We start to look nervy and lose the confidence to go and get another goal and ultimately just try to defend the lead which we haven’t done well enough.. “It has been the story of the season, late in games sinking in, conceding pressure and ultimately conceding goals.
“It’s hard to put your finger on exactly why, maybe a bit of fatigue towards the end of games, and then when it happens once or twice, then the confidence drops. Dropping back is not an instruction; it is just something that seems to creep into our game, and it is something we’ve got to stop doing.”
Which will be an invitation for West Ham to get onto the front foot with their opponents, rather than sit back in a cat and mouse game.
Nuno surely must revert to his more attacking 4-4-2 lineup and take the game to Eddie Howe’s side: Barnes has already admitted that, much like West Ham of last year, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle of this year are wobbly under pressure.
It is true Newcastle looked open against Forest, but quick and dangerous on the counter (Barnes’ goal). With 3 good CBs understand NES choosing to play them against Arsenal, (although Todibo must be getting rusty).
Against Newcastle though, definitely would play to put them under pressure. They are not firing on all cylinders, but have a big squad with Gordon and the likes. Pablo missed that open chance when through on goal, but he still puts a lot of pressure on defences and introduces a lot of movement upfront. Taty will be faced with physical, tall CB internationals (Botman, Burns) so pullbacks from the wings and Bowen/Summerville weaving through them would cause 10x more difficulty than crosses. Against Brentford 1st half, plenty of movement, a few chances, to many misses and bad luck, but the forward line looked effective.
Still wish we had a deft no 10 who plays a different style from Pablo (as an option). Perhaps a switch during the game to move Fernandes to no.10, with Soucek & Magassa/Kante behind him could work – I’d see Potts at 10 but too late & wrong part of the season to experiment like that.
COYI
Unleash Wilson for this crucial game.
Surely he bags a brace if given the service and ample minutes.
Plus he’s bound to be roared on from the Mags
and he is an in-form player, loses markers in the box… 30+ mins, perhaps Taty at no.10?