Manuel Pellegrini has put out a very strong starting XI ahead of the FA Cup fourth round proper tie against AFC Wimbledon tonight at 7.45 pm at the Kingsmeadow stadium, showing his ambition for a good cup run. The gaffer makes six changes from the side that were beaten by AFC Bournemouth last weekend. Fabianski, Pablo Zabaleta, Aaron Cresswell, Declan Rice, Samir Nasri and Felipe Anderson are all rested from the starting eleven.
Back four consists of Michail Antonio filling in for Zabaleta with Ryan Fredericks not quite ready, Angelo Ogbonna and Issa Diop in the middles of defence and Arthur Masuaku replacing Aaron Cresswell.
In midfield is Mark Noble, Pedro Obiang, Robert Snodgrass and Grady Diangana. Up front is Javier Hernandez and Andy Carroll
On the bench are Fabianski, Ryan Fredericks, Declan Rice, Connor Coventry, Felipe Anderson and Lucas Perez
The game will be screened live in the U.K on BT Sports.
Really disappointing to see Carroll starting again tonight, he is not the future, very disappointed also to see Perez in the squad ahead of Silva. I have seen young Holland this year and he is not yet ready for this level but still positive to see him in the squad. Carroll and Perez are not the future and to be honest I would have started a Antonio and Hernandez up top with Silva on the bench. Obviously it should make no difference tonight but again strange decisions for me.
No pace in this starting 11.Could be a long evening.
2 down ! I just cant understand manager’s team selection, get Carroll off put Antonio up top and bring on Anderson quick.
Half time 2 down not good enough , no intensity , no energy , not enough effort . Come on lads what’s up with you this is shocking. Need to pick up 2nd half . COYI
Embarrising performance triggered by a terrible team selection. He now brings on Fredericks who is just back from injury and makes 3 subs. Leaves Rice on the bench. I am totally confused.
What is the point of that earlier poll? Talk about “counting your chickens before there hatched???” Just left watching the game on TV WE ARE NOW 3 ,YES 3 NIL DOWN ! So much for having a good run in the cup ??? Be good if some of the players turned up ? Like the fan’s have ????
Pathetic!
An utter disgrace. Worse than the Forest result imo.
Hugh’s been waxing lyrical about Pelle all season. After tonight I think the love may have soured a bit. Appalling team selection imo.
Point is though did any of us comment publicly before the game on the selection
Pelle has to take full responsibility for that tonight. How many more times will he start Carroll this season, what in the name of football is he looking at on the training ground. Not to put out his best team tonight was just incredible. I accept Adrian in and Masauka in but we needed to start Anderson and Arne, Rice and Zaba. Play Antonio up top. Terrible performance tonight but the root cause is the team selection. A huge opportunity missed and I am so angry at the thought of that.
Oh my god how embarrassing… What a disgrace
M.p is not a good after all ..what has he done …
There have been certain players that have been appalling all season when given a chance and they all played tonight.If he has not learnt that Carroll.Ogbonna, Obiang and Masuaku are not up to it surely tonight has proved it.Another season with nothing.39 years since I watched Bonzo lift the cup.Half of this shower need to be sold even if it’s at a loss if we are to progress as a club.Honestly thought this could be our year.pelle needs to take the flak that’s coming too.That starting 11 never looked right,not even on paper.
Hugh, some of us did call it out before the game started. The only consolation from tonite is that certain players have just proved what some of us have been saying since last season. Our wide players and forwards were terrible but they have been terrible for some time. Carroll should be shown the door in the summer, Hernandez needs to be sold even at 8m in this window as should Perez. I put no blame on Antonio as he is a forward. Young Diangana was awful tonite and I firmly believe Silva is a better player at the moment. Snodgrass was also poor but he has been so good this season.
Whatever team we put out, should have been more than capable of winning against a team adrift at the bottom of league one. Imo at the end of the day, it comes down to attitude and it was obvious that they were up for it, more than us. G & S are going to have to spend at least as much in the Summer, as they did the previous one, if we are going to progress to that “next level”. With regard to Diangana, I think many West Ham fans have been waiting for youngsters coming through to the first team, for such a long time that they see someone do a couple of mazy runs and score an early goal, after stepping up and they get carried away. Way too early for that! A certain Freddie Sears comes to mind.