Moyes must shed defensive mindset at Newcastle

 (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

By Hughie Southon

We will hopefully find out a lot more of David Moyes’ determination to attack and score goals this weekend.

It’s not a time for faint hearts as the Hammers go into the first game of three at St James Park which could go a long way towards defining our season.

Newcastle, Chelsea and Spurs is about as tough as it gets at this stage of a season in which we may or may not have turned the corner via a couple of FA Cup wins and a victory over struggling Everton.

The big clue to how Moyes is going to approach this will be in two names – Benrahma and Fornals – both of whom should be involved if the manager is going to give it a real three point go.

As mom in the game at Derby County Fornals surely deserves his chance to give some real attacking impetus upfront and maybe Emerson should be included after showing exciting movement against the Rams.

It remains to be seen whether Scamacca is ready to return from injury but Antonio did himself no harm with a good performance in the Cup tie.

The manager needs perhaps to go for this one and shed himself of what many see as a defensive mindset.

CandH team: Areola; Coufal, Aguerd, Ogbonna, Emerson; Rice, Soucek; Benrahma, Fornals, Bowen, Antonio