Slaven Bilic looks set to stick with his clear first team choices for Thursday’s Europa League trip to Romania, as the Hammers attempt to secure a win against FC Astra.
The manager faces seriously selection dilemma for a game the team has to win if they are to progress in Europe, given the two goals FC Astra secured in the draw at the Boleyn.
And with a growing feeling inside the club that Europa is becoming a luxury we can barely afford, Bilic – whilst putting out as strong a team as possible – is likely to play it safe!
Although no squad will be named for a couple of days, insiders believe that the Slav will go with the likes of Diego Poyet, Morgan Amalfitano and Kevin Nolan for the qualifying game.
ClaretandHugh was told this morning: “We have had three fine nights of European football, but it’s come at an awful price – with Enner Valencia’s injury. The manager has now been forced to change his entire approach towards this and the start of the season after the 2-2 draw at the Boleyn.
“We see him taking no risks whatsoever with any of those who will feature either in the team or on the bench at the Emirates.”
Carl Jenkinson is set for an outing given that his loan agreement doesn’t allow him to play against Arsenal, and we expect the team for Thursday night to look something like this:
Randolph; Jenkinson, Burke, Henry, Page; Amalfitano, Oxford, Poyet, Nolan, Jarvis, Maiga.
But the manager may give Manuel Lanzini another chance to impress after making his debut in Sunday’s friendly against Werder Bremen.
Lol,well done bubs,back on the beer.Good move,youre going to need it in the next few days between now & monday im sure 😀
Don’t want Nolan stocked just not in the team or on the bench,
Hippo has gone and if he is not brought up by others I can say no comment,
But if he was put in the stocks anywhere I would proberly put money in a charity box to watch it,
Last year I made it clear I thought Nolan should have been offered a player coach position to let him slide out of playing with dignity, but his Mate made him look bad keep picking him out of position,
But I am the bad person for not wanting our club to suffer,
But I have a clear conscience because I tell the truth and now I am back on the beer 6 days early FEELS GREAT
Take you pick bubs,hippo or nolan,lol 😉
Which one ?
And why should only 34,000 have all the fun,
I know what,lets put him in some stocks on the half way line before the leicester match & you can all throw tomatoes at him,lol,or better still burn him like a witch 😀
What’s your obsession with Nolan?
Why lead him on he asked a simple question play me or sell me,
It’s not me messing him about I would looked him straight in the eyes and said ok find another club,
Your the one messing with his head,or people like you get over it he is finished,
You have no idea how much dislike I have for Hippo but if I never hear his name again not a problem but every time things don’t go right you and many like you bring him up,
4 years of Hippo ****e was a life sentence
Oh & for the record i couldnt stand your hippo & was delighted when he got binned.But i have moved on.Something you cant do it appears!
You need to get over this hippo bs.Always mentioning hippo this,hippo that.No one is saying he should be picked all season,they are just saying he doesnt need to be treated like scum.Your dislike of hippo & nolan is bordering on obsession!!
Not moaning or groaning mate let him play,no problem he can play on Sunday to mate if you want why not pick him all season,
Happy now or you will be when we are relegated get knocked out of Europe,
Then you can blame Slav and sack him
Then you can press for the Hippo,s return
Even the greats new when it was time to move on,
I don’t need to slaughter him every time he puts our shirt oh he does that his self
Why shouldnt we not show him a little loyalty in this last few weeks before the season starts & he is in all likelyhood pushed to one side.Just because you are always on your crusade to slaughter him others appreciate what he did for the club.No he isnt up to prem football anymore,but it doesnt mean we as a club should treat him like a piece of ****,however much you would love to see it bubs.If Slav picks him thats good enough for me.He is the prem manager,not a load of moaning groaning fans like you.
So we have to be loyal to Nolan phase him out,
No we have to win games which means we cannot carry anyone even if they were a good captain 2 years ago,and he should have been phased out last year,
Sorry but fans pay today’s prices we don’t get phased payments,
we can win both games but joy by carrying baggage,
I know it’s hard letting Hippo,s boy go but it’s time to let the past go,
I’d rather do arsenal, yeh Europe is inviting and exciting but let’s have it right we shouldn’t of even been there really.. We were well off finishing any where near European football quality last season. I’d rather we just gave a bit of effort to Europa, see where it takes us but aim for Europa finishing positions this year in the prem. we haven’t beaten arsenal for donkeys, bout time we got some points from them tossers
Interesting what the thoughts will be if we don’t get thru but get a result at the Emirates…
Kevin, totally agree, we must win on thurs, can afford to lose on Sunday so lets play the strongest team.
Terry Iron,Radai Lama,Chicken Runner you all make really good points. I feel Nolan has been a good captain and now he will be phased out of the first eleven. So I think it only fair that we thank him and stop berating him as its a pointless exercise now he is being gradually moved to the exit .
It’s a difficult juggling act which cannot be denied … We need a bit of fortune and no more misfortune .. Bilic may select Nolan just because he is strong and tenacious .. Always gives 100% be it good or bad for the team . I don’t think he should play , but hey , I’m not the manager . With all this talk about using Jarvis as bait to sign Austin , I’m surprised Jarvis can still find in himself the will to give it his best . Diamond geezer . And not a bad winger either . We must win on Thursday , and can afford to lose on Sunday . It’s a long season .
The Fans want European Football success and I hope Bilic realises it .
Still, that side should be good enough to get the result in Romania, shouldn’t it? Although I’d give Lee a go instead of Alamlfitano, move Maiga to the right of a front three and Lanzini in for Nolan.
Henry looked a beast against Norwich and deserves another run out.
Still if we didn’t get through that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.
Slav’s mandate for this season will be to have a decent strong Prem campaign with good football. The nightmare scenario is starting life at the OS in the Championship.
Payet and the other signings will want to play against the big clubs in the league to show what they’re really about.
Sure I’d like to see West Ham in Europe and do well in it, but it’s got to come at the right time too. If we progress great, but in this rebuilding phase we’re in everything has to come at the right time too. Can’t run before we can walk.
People say we have to have ambition if we want to be a bigger club and playing a weaker squad in the Europa League shows a lack of ambition. Any other year I would tend to agree, but if we can put a decent Prem shift in this season, even potentially replicate Southampton last year with a good solid season, and qualify for Europe again next year whilst entering the new home and the better financing that will come as a result… that’s got to be worth more in the long run.
Like I say if we progress on Thursday that’s great, I always want to see my team do well and play well (in the majority of games at least) and I back Bilic to make the right decisions. He’s intelligent enough to do that without being an egomaniac, and he knows his plans better than any keyboard warrior.
F*ck it,i never want to see the guy in a first team shirt again.He should never have been in the team last season but even im getting bored of this Nolan crusade.The geezer aint going to be involved with the first team,that seems pretty clear.Just let the geezer slowly disappear out of the picture,dont need the rip the sh*t out of him every bloody day.Whether we like him or not the guy was good for the team for a couple of seasons.Ffs i cant stand him as a player but as a captain he was good.Get some practice in on ripping Noble or Zarate to pieces,im sure they will be your next victims.
Haha,well once the useless lump is moved on or doesnt figure in the first team plans people will have to find a new hate figure,lol,my moneys on Noble 100% 😀
Some of you so called fans are mind numbingly dense.Slav is phasing out Nolan out rhe best he can from the first team.I cant stand him as a player either.But what is Slav ment to do,banish him to play with the youths?Is he a contract rebel?Has he slaggd the club?.No,he has done nothing wrong apart from being past his sell by date.Whether you like it or not he was a popular captain who gave us some good service.He is popular with the players he has been round for these seasons he has been at the club.Shunting out of picture is just going to causd resentment amongst some of the players if Slav treats him like crap.Slav is showing him he isnt going to be part of the first team in the most logical best way he can without causing ill feeling amongst the squad.Some of your blind dislike for Nolan is laughable.Is probably why you are clueless moaners on west ham sites & not managing a premiership team.You are clueless.
I hope not, there is not enough pressure on the ball with that side or goals in it. Is JOB still injured ? If not I guess he would play left back, Noble should also start as he is unlikely to figure against Arsenal, unless you have a ball winning centre forward Jarvis is a waste of space because his best position is running the defenders wide (left) and crossing. I agree Lee and / or Samuelson should both be in that team with Lanzini, if they are match fit because they would be an upgrade on what you have listed.
Whatever Slav does will be wrong with a section of fans.Field a strong team for this people who want us out of europe will moan.Pick a weak side,the ones who still want us in europe will complain.Poor bugger cant win at the moment.Its a thankless task with some of the fans we have,lol
good point Slim, it’s a thankless task managing especially at our club in recent years. We are a mid-table team with aspirations at least that is how I see us. It will take time to get it right, Slav’s mandate will probably have been to ensure we stay in the league for our entrance to the Olympic stadium, Europe will only be icing on any cake this season and as such will have to take a secondary priority with fringe players winning any early games.
You still have to feel sorry for the diehards who have spent good money to go and watch a reserve side probably get picked.
Bubs, have to agree with you. One nil can win it for us but Nolan will stop that. He has nothing to offer. Step up Cullen and Lee.
I sincerely hope this report is wrong. Forget the likes of Nolan, absolutely useless. The fans want us in Europe. Sacrifice the Arsenal game – don’t let the fans down or the players. Have we not learned from the lessons of the FA Cup a few seasons ago. We have a big squad and we need to have these competitions to play in. The team we should play on Thurs :- Adrian, Jenks, Oxford, Henry, Cresswell, Poyet, Obiang, Kouyate, Zarate, Lanzini, Jarvis, Sakho. With this team we are resting players like Reid, Ogbanna, Payet, Noble, Tomkins for Sunday and giving youngsters like Henry and Oxford more first team experience. Bilic don’t let the fans down on this.
Interesting. No goals in that Europa side really, may as well send Lee. Samuelson may be on the subs for Arsenal… he’s been proving himself. Then again he may go out to Romania and feature as a sub there.
Glad to see a full strength squad going to Arsenal tho and giving them a decent game.
Don’t understand Nolan in any side,
Sooner see Cullen or Samulesun who won’t play Sunday,
If you are going to play Oxford and Poyet as defensive midfielders
Alfitano and Jarvis wide
Magia up top why would you have a slow non goal scoring player everyone else has got to try and get round on the pitch,
Lee could play alongside Magia
Lanzini could sit just behind and pull the strings,or young Viking
I would not lead him on he is not worth a place on the bench
I’m quite excited by that side, considering that this is without our starting 11 + 7 subs and a few major injuries that’s A better side than I expected. We have a strong squad now. Just missing a couple of big names and we can take on all comers