David Moyes has gambled on Academy right-back Jeremy Ngakia in place of Pablo Zabaleta who is rested on the bench at the London Stadium against league leaders Liverpool.
Ngakia joined the West Ham Academy at the age of 14, made his U18s debut at 15 and makes his first-team debut tonight at the tender age of 19.
Michail Antonio is missing tonight after feeling a tight hamstring but should be back for Brighton.
The manager continues to show faith in Manuel Lanzini and leaves Pablo Fornals on the bench which has puzzled many.
Tomas Soucez was not signed in time to be registered so Carlos Sanchez surely makes his last appearance on the bench tonight.
Fabianski makes his welcome return tonight although there will be some anxious faces of supporters everything he kicks the ball long.
Team is Fabiaski, Ngakia, Diop. Ogbonna, Cresswell, Masuaku, Rice, Noble, Rice , Snodgrass, Lanzini and Haller
On the bench is Randolph, Cardoso, Balbeuna, Zabalelta, Sanchez, Fornals and Ajeti.
Love the start of Ngakia tonight. I am at a loss with Moyes persistence of Lanzini, he has been playing at half pace and with no drive. As soon as Fornals comes on the energy changes on the pitch and effort. Drop him and let him earn a spot on the pitch
I just don’t get Moyes at all. He continues to pick Ogbonna in the middle of the back 3, he continues to think Cresswell is a CB, he continues to pick Noble who has no pace and cannot get around the pitch, he continually picks Snodgrass and last but not least he continually plays 1 up top in a 3-5-2 system. I just have no idea what he sees. Liverpool’s major weakness is at the back as their two full backs want to go all the time so their two CH;s are exposed. The most obvious selection tonight was to play Lanzini in behind two strikers. Moyes is so negative it is going to cost us hugely.
You would think that if he was going to play Ngakia today, he would have blooded him on Saturday.
Managers are logical idiots.
Ngakia did ok.
Can’t say the same for Lanzini – Fornals brought on too late.
John ham1 go and surport another team for christ sake? clearly you don’t get get West ham we are a second tier team middle to bottom in the premiership? Always were always will be? In All my 70 years no more no less ? What on earth are you expecting ?? Man city or liverpool or perhaps Chelsea that we are not ??????