I’m just about giving Davd Moyes the benefit of the doubt at the moment – not by much and should he again not show the sort of bravery, which is the only way we can hope to beat Chelsea on Wednesday, that mild faith will wilt.
We have said it previously since the restart but with the bottom five still locked in a battle to see who can get the first win from among them let’s just hope and pray Moyes gives it some sort of go and puts some space between us and the others.
Team news from Chelsea is that there are doubts over the availability of Christian Pulisic, who picked up a calf injury against Leicester, and Andreas Christensen, who missed that game with a hip problem.
Fikayo Tomori and Callum Hudson-Odoi may not be involved as they continue to build up to match fitness following their injuries, having missed all our matches since the restart.
The Hammers are unlikely of course to have Seb Haller and try as we may we can get no update on Arthur Masuaku who as things stand looks a replacement for the entirely out of touch Felipe Anderson.
I can’t explain why but I always fancy us getting a result against the Blues despite them having won their last five games, scoring 11 goals along the way.
If we are to get that result we have to gamble and Moyes has to show that he is ready – as he was at Liverpool – to strive for the impossible.
Play to that sort of level and we have a chance but the Hammers have returned from the lock down with imponderables which Moyes somehow has to try turning to his advantage.
The trouble is we aren’t on the training ground and able to make any real judgement on the fitness and readiness of some of those who have been missing for so long.
However, given we are told the likes of Yarmo, Wilshere and Ogbonna are fit and believing that Masuaku may be, the manager may have one or two desperate to make a point.
In a game where nothing is expected by most a parking the bus operation is the last option he needs to consider. Keep up tight yes but PLEASE let’s see some attacking enterprise.
I’m assuming here the Yarmolenko, Ogbonna and Masuaku will be available and would want to see this team take the field ready to give it a right go. I’d have Masuaku playing in front of Cresswell with Yarmolenko and Antonio forming a front two.
So how about this X1: Fabianski; Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna Cresswell; Rice, Bowen, Soucek Masuaku; Antonio, Yarmolenko
I’d also hope to see Xande Silva given a chance off the bench if it’s not working up front.
It’s a team with which it’s easy to find fault but we have to find a goal threat from somewhere and the front two might just have that in them.
Yes there’s a definite lack of creativity but should Masuaku be fit and used in a purely offensive role that could be a possible solution.
That we are in this hugely ambiguous situation with semi fit and injured players after a 100 plus day pause is bizarre.
But we need to break from the Anderson and Lanzini options given their awful form and look for some hungry ‘something to prove’ performances from others.
What is there to lose- only a game we aren’t expected to win anyway!
It may not work at all up front but then nothing has since the restart but it might just be a night where West Ham get it right and produce one of those odd shock results of which they are always capable.
I’d go along with that, alternatively could swap Antonio for Mas on the left and bring in Wilshire to play just behind Yarmo?
Think we need a bit more pace than Wilshere Lyon
Sir, your team is a desperate action indeed, but may not produce what we desperately need … a point or a win.
Ogbonna back, yes. Masuaku and Anderson should never come near the 1st team ever. Both are the worst tacklers and their heads are elsewhere, always.
What we do need in order to move forward better and score is a proper centre-forward. So, yes Xander Silva should play from the start.
And if we are gonna produce a stronger advancing threat for 90mins, we must use our 5 subs. They definitely cant do any worse than what we have seen thus far.
But of course, Mr Moyes will gallantly mess us all these good thoughts …. and do it His way. Sorry.
Fredericks and Masuaku in the same eleven? This has been a disaster every time it has been tried this campaign. Yarmalenko? His only reasonable claim
To a start is that he has not been playing. No form.
Your team?
Definitely don’t let Anderson, Lanzini, Masuaku, or even Noble near the team and lets give Silva an opportunity alongside Antonio. But, I cannot see Moyes doing anything like that.
Would love to see a team with attacking intentions but I thinkr Moyes ‘s strategy will.be go for a draw..plan b..don’t get stuffed
not bad but not great. i would do what Moyes would never do. play 3 at the back – Diop Ogbonna Cresswell. 2 in front of them – Rice and Soucek. across the middle – Antonio on the left (helping out Cress and the front 2), Bowen on the right (doing the same for Diop), Lanzini in his preferred position between the front 2 and d/m 2 linking with either Rice or Soucek thru the centre, an where we have shown nothing going forward. take the gamble of Lanzini, if it doesn’t work we have Fornals, Anderson, Wilshere as options. happy to hear the argument for one of them over Lanzini. Haller, Yarmo up front. if Haller is not available then push Antonio up and bring on Fornals. not great cover for Cress but Masuaka is the other option there and that’s scary, even if he is quicker than Fornals. Fredericks a very quick option as wide cover replacement also. set up to win AND defend. can i have the job?
This is the problem Hugh.. All the managers are sheep! They complicate a very simple game… Let’s see a manager bring back 4-2-4… Play quick balls forward to a front 4. Let’s see a team ignore the midfield and put every team on defense!!! If you play 4 up front you have to defend with 4-6 players… It’s time for a manger to be brave!!!
The truth of it is that the squad is poor . Noble ,Wilshere ,Snoddy (when available ) are all too slow and well past their sell by date . Antonio is not a centre forward and as Adjeti is obviously another panic buy like Hugill Silva must be given a chance . Moyes persists in playing same personel in same formation and not only losing but never in with a chance . Freshen it up . Kick Noble out and bring in someone with legs . We are doomed as is at the moment .
He is clueless, just said at his pressie that we need to score and not concede so he cant work it out !! We need to remove Fredericks from the team, he is a major problem, the rest of the defense suffers when he is in the team. I thought Jenkinson was the worse RB ever but I now believe Fredericks has to be, whoever sanctioned his signing should be sacked. Back to the ideas of not conceding, I would play Rice at the back in a back 3 with Diop to his right and Ogbonna to the left (cracking back 3). I would play Johnson at RB and Cresswell at LB. I would play Soucek and Fornals in midfield with Soucek holding. Then I would play Bowen in behind Antonio and Yarmo (I am assuming Haller will not be risked for Chelsea). There we have a very sold defense and we are playing two up. I would get Yarmo to pick up their holding player when we are defending. Everything being equal Moyes should be sacked after the Chelsea game if he fails to see this and we beaten. I would even bring Zaba back and put him in charge for the last 6 games, I have that much respect for the man.
Davod moyes kept west ham up 2 years ago.someth8ng you never give him.any credit for.when he took over we were second bottomi.difference rhen was that we had strikers. Pellegrini should be your target.not moyes
You are new – I heaped great praise on him but that was then and this is now