After a Friday night down the pub watching the disaster unfold at Elland Road I couldn’t help but reflect on the last two matches. With players out of position, stronger options left on the bench, and a team visibly lacking confidence, pace, and set-piece resilience, it’s time to offer a fresh take.
Will be interesting to see other fans thoughts on their best XI in the comments section!
Tactical Setup: 4-3-3 (Shifting to 4-1-4-1 out of possession)
GK Lukasz Fabiański
Areola and Hermansen have conceded a total of 20 goals between them in the league over nine games. Fabiański’s leadership and calm presence could be just what the backline needs. His experience in organising the defence could prove invaluable especially when confidence is low.
- RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Last season’s Hammer of the Year. A defensive rock in 1v1s, he’ll stay disciplined on the right, allowing the left flank to push forward. - CB: Igor Julio
It’s time to give the loanee his shot. I’m told he is composed on the ball, physical and tactically sharp, I’m hoping he brings a sense of calm to the back. - CB: Max Kilman
Prior to joining West Ham, the ex Wolves defender scored highly for aerial dominance and was positionally sound. If he can regain form, his ability to tuck in and cover space should make him a reliable partner for Igor. West Ham paid £40m for him – and both Lopetegui and Nuno rate him. - LB: El Hadji Malick Diouf
Athletic and quick, Diouf is ideal for covering ground on the left and recovering behind a high line. In terms of attacking his numbers are elite and place him among the top full backs in Europe. His tackling and positioning sadly let him down, yet at only 20 years old his offensive output is critical. - CDM: Soungoutou Magassa
The engine room. Magassa will break up play, shield the defence, and give the team the energy it’s been missing. - CM: Lucas Paquetá
On his day a creative heartbeat. Paqueta will have the freedom to roam and link midfield to attack – just show us that flair and vision! - CM: Mateus Fernandes
A box-to-box dynamo. Supports both ends of the pitch, presses high, and drives transitions. Last season the Portuguese U-21 international featured in the top 11% for successful take ons and top 13% for carries into the final third. For combined defensive actions his 2.75 tackles per 90 ranked in the top 26% amongst midfielders. - RW: Jarrod Bowen (Captain)
Relentless and clinical, his strengths are the ability to cut inside to combine with the striker (if we have one on the pitch!) or go for goal himself. A natural leader and arguably our best player. - ST: Callum Wilson
Not the first-choice striker, but with Fullkrug sidelined, Wilson’s experience make him the best available option. - LW: Crysencio Summerville
A livewire on the left. His pace and unpredictability are vital for stretching defences and unlocking low blocks. In 2022/23 for Leeds his fastest speed was 34.8km/h – this is a key ingredient.
On the bench I would utilise Luis Guilherme (who boasts a top speed of 36.4km/h) should Wilson not last the full ninety minutes and play him on the right and push Bowen into a central striker role. Freddie Potts could also be a replacement for Magassa, or allow the French midfielder the option to move to central defence. I would also be brave and include Preston Fearon or Mohamadou Kante amongst my substitutes. I am relaxed on who the other benchwarmers are – yet Ward Prowse and Rodriguez need not apply, that’s a combined £170k salary sitting it out!
Let’s hope Nuno’s reading this!
Looks like we all know and accept big changes are to be made.central Defence and .midfield are amongst our biggest problems so let’s try with our limited resources to put a team out there that might want to play for our shirt….(and their Careers ) Areola —W-Peters Mavrapanos Magassa Scarles — Bissaka Fernandez. Summerville —- Bowen Soucek. Diouf… I honestly think Bissaka given a-bit of freedom is the best defensive midfielder we have..plus Hermanson Potts Igor Paqueta Guilherme Marshall Wilson as subs …. I think Nuno needs to get down to business now and find a group who really want to play for us ….
I would pick thesme team as you
Areola
AWB Todibo Igor Diouff
Fernandes Paqueta Magassa
Bowen Wilson Summerville
It’s like shuffling chairs on the Titanic.
Its basically as every WHU fan with an inkling of knowledge would see the starting 11, minus 1 or 2 changes for poor form. Sadly our latest manager hasn’t learnt from JLO and Potter that tinkering with player positions & continuing to Pick woefully inept players for this level of PL, will only end in defeat. I think we can all see, sadly that Todibo, JWP, Guido, Irving (Sorry, he is a tryer) & Fulkrug are nowhere near the required level. Soucek cannot control the ball or game in CM, but we need him as a Sub & Killman only performs when he has an out and out defender next to him – Ala Dawson.
Potts & Magassa have to start, Guilherme (why is he not even on the bench), Kante and Fearon + 1-2 other u21’s have to be on the bench.
It’s time to shake up the squad, we have good young players who aren’t getting a chance in a poor team.
The rest of the line up is as per the previous comments. There is no reason why Bowen, Summerville, Marshall + Guillerme (both with a run of games), Paqueta, Fernandez, Potts, Magassa are not good enough to form the MF & Fwd roles, with AWB + Diouf in support. They just need confidence that we aren’t going to concede 2-3 every game. Nuno has a big January in search of 2 Solid CB’s – its dire, but its not over yet.
We need to wake up to the fact that the team has too many passengers. Chief among them is Paqueta. He’s done nothing for the last two seasons. Last year we gave him the benefit of the doubt that it was due to the betting allegations. That doesn’t apply this year. Get rid I say. If we’re going down blood some of the kids. At least they’ll fight for the badge.
That’s a decent starting 11 and probably what I’d go with, given what we have available. Rodriguez, JWP and Todibo wouldn’t make the squad. Areola, KWP, Mavropanos (if fit), Potts, Marshall, Guilmere, Kanté and Soucek as the subs.
A good choice, of course we don’t see what happens in the training but there are problems in every part of the field. Confidence is key, I would keep Areola, try Igor, Potts, give Paqueta a slap round the head as he is behaving like a child. I’d like to see more of Marshall as well.
Enough talk of Nuno’s mistakes , he is clearly experimenting, the two new midfielders will be regulars soon and I don’t want to see the big German for more than 30 minutes.
Good selection… However I would swop Igor for Soucek..And give Soucek the armband…Love Jarrod all day…But that arm band has been too heavy for him … Soucek is the natural choice but he can’t be in midfield anymore..I see him as a good old fashioned CB…. Clearing the lines …A bit like Dawson used to do…Plus he will be on the pitch to be on the end of set piece kicks…. Which is where he has scored most of his goals.
Absolutely agree with you Matt players in their strongest position and 4-3-3 100%. MD.
While this is exactly the kind of “Hail Mary” repositioning that isn’t exactly working for Nuno, I wouldn’t rule out playing Soucek as a striker when Marshall inevitably joins Fullkrug in the infirmary. None of the false 9 options have worked and Soucek can at least get his head on the ball.
Please try to ask your contacts to make sure this brilliant proposed starting eleven reaches Nuno.
Potts and Guilherme would be good substitutes.
Unfortunately Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Irving and Rodriguez are not to the level required in the Premier League.
100% agree ..its simple as best players in best positions .. big igor also cant be worse than Todibo!
That’s a better team then the one Nuno picked, at least players in their right positions, a fighting chance to turn in a performance.
Good sense as usual Matt. Just to add I’d like to see Marshall given more of a chance. Otherwise play the best players in their right positions and, as you suggest, introduce the calming Fabianski influence.
Think that’s about the best we can put out, Matt, but unfortunately I can’t see us surviving this season.
Sullivan’s many years of recruitment Incompetence will finally send us down.
Pretty good starting 11.
I would play your team as 442 and drop Kilman in favour of Mavrapanos. My two up front would be Wilson and Guilherme. Guilherme don’t get enough play to prove himself and tackling him when he is full pelt would draw free kicks and pens. Marshall to come on when Wilson is tired.
Excellant call although we probably need a global catastrophy to save us .
Agree with the reason for the post as I have no doubt that if Nuno had gone with something similar we would have beaten Leeds who are nowhere near as good as they were when they went down last time
Although I love Fab I would stick with Areola. I would not pick Kilman in fact you could argue that if Todibo had played as many minutes as Kilman even he wouldn’t have made as many errors as Max
I would play Potts and move Mugassa to CB alongside Igor and if that wasn’t working I would use Soucek as CB
Pretty good staring 11.
However I would play 442 and drop Kilman in favour of Mavrapanos. My two up front would be Wilson and Guilherme. Guilherme don’t get enough play to prove himself and tackling him when he is full pelt would draw free kicks and pens. Marshall to come on when Wilson is tired.
How can anyone still be including Kilman?? He’s seriously pushing Breen and Johnson as the worst ever CB to play for us !
Soucek and Igor at CB. Can they be any worse?
Pretty much as nearly all West Ham fans see it, maybe would try and find a space for Potts as he looks the part when he gets on maybe at the expense of Fernandes or Pacqueta who I think should be for the same position. Fearon/Kante/Guilherme should 100% be on the bench instead of Rodrigues
Agree with that line. Very surprised by Nuno playing around with the selections the players must be lost at the moment. I would take that selection and run with it for a few games. We need to settle the team down and stop
Chopping and changing!!!
I couldn’t agree more !!
My only one suggestion is maybe to give Callum Marshall a run up front – although he doesn’t have the guile and experience of Wilson he has more energy and exuberance of youth and will harass the defenders when they have possession in defence- other than that I agree with you
JWP & Rodriguez shouldn’t be near the team
Steve
Irish Hammer – 52 years ( and still suffering 🤭)
Pretty similar Matt but I think we should keep Areola in goal as he hasn’t done too much wrong recently. I am not sure how to fit them all in but I would go with Potts, Magassa and have fernandez as a sub. Same with Paqueta license to roam. Bowen on the right, Summerville on the left and Wilson up top. Have Guilherme, Fearon and Kante on the bench and try and introduce gradually
Like it though Igor Julio is left sided as is Kilman so not sure the CB pairing is optimal, would be curious if Soucek could play CB at least he can win balls in the air and win a duel or two, would swap Paqueta for Potts and use Fernandes as the playmaker, agree with Guilherme let’s use him and Marshall more and rather than Fearon who needs to show more consistency would just promote Kante who if we can grow his ability a bit could offer a lot as a disruptive element in midfield.
We are bang in trouble results couldn’t have been much worse yesterday we are already two results from safety and I expect Newcastle to win fairly easily next week against us and more to the point Nuno to continue his attempt to get sacked.
A much better selection with 2 big differences . Kilman should not even be on the bench . He contributes nothing . Paqueta is not a good fit for a team struggling as badly as Hammers . A luxury player and always likely to be sent off . Bring in the big Greek and Potts and we have our best 11 on the grass.
I agree but definitely would like to see Potts and Gulhimere used more.We we’re a much better team when Potts came on
Can we not play Gulhimere up front or Marshall as I think Wilson is not fit enough to start, bring him on in second half
I do really hope we can turn this around
Agree almost fully with your line up, good piece of work however IMO I would disagree on the fact AWB is a rock & disciplined unfortunately I have seen him go missing on quite a few occasions when required at the back post to deal with crosses ( against Leeds for example) likewise he is poor at closing down when opponents are looking to put in a cross. No doubting his ability going forward but his tracking back quickly is not good. Think KWP may just shade it in the RB position but he too has his floors.
I don’t think any West Ham fan would have had any major objections to a starting eleven like this on Friday.
Absolutely agree I don’t know why Nuno can’t see that selection, the few times they have p[layed together they look promising, why don’t the coaches tell him they know the players?
Let’s hope somebody is listening Matt , what really concerns me is the amount of fans with 50 – 60years of supporting our club and all are saying they have never seen it so bad . Does anybody really listen.
So possibly our best players , the thing is the team also need to look at themselves and work harder . We have talent in the squad they need to step up and work together to change it !
I agree ho so simple
Selection seems good to me but but I don’t think it will happen last three managers never pick the right option and you can include me 74 years attending fan, this is about the worse set up.Far too long till next window has anybody any idea of the result of the meeting on Thursday ?
Exactly Nuno hopefully has learnt by his woeful mistakes.
Guilherme continues to be given cameo roles and pushed from pillar to post.
His recognised position (as stated by his original academy) is right or mid attack.