By Dave Langton
The Hammers go into this week’s clash with FCSB well aware that they may need to rotate.
The Irons have endured a difficult week in terms of the fixtures and have played two demanding London derbies, drawing with Spurs and losing, in horrendous circumstances, to Chelsea.
This week’s clash with the Romanian side, who won the European Cup in the 1980s, is a prime opportunity to rotate.
They may be a historically significant club but they are mired in midtable in Romania and have only won one of their seven games this season.
As a result, this feels like the ideal opportunity to bring in a few of the kids and give them a taste of European football.
Not to sound arrogant and biased towards Premier League teams, but one would expect the Hammers to beat FCSB most days of the week!
As a result, we think this is the ideal time to bring the likes of Conor Coventry and Flynn Downes into the team, while giving Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek a rest.
Predicted Hammers XI: Areola; Ashby, Ogbonna, Kehrer, Emerson; Coventry, Downes; Fornals, Lanzini, Cornet; Antonio.
I would not play both Downes and Coventry, I have seen plenty of Coventry and in my opinion he should have went out on loan as he is not yet ready for the PL. Fornals need a break so he should not play. I think Soucek and Bowen need to get wake up calls so I would play both of them on Thurs because in particular Bowen has to be dropped sooner rather than later. Soucek has improved and is important against the top 6 but when we play teams we should be going at Moyes must surely realise we need more creativity in the middle of the park with Rice. My team for Thurs should be on the lines Areola, Ashby, Dawson/Kehrer, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Soucek, Lanzini, Cornet, Benrahma, Bowen, Scammaca.
Yes good point Dave except we don’t have too many kids left!!! There is a big argument for seeing Ashby at r/B and either Downes or Coventry in at DCM. If they struggle then sub them, but there is much to be gained in trying them, giving them invaluable experience and hope!