Southend United vs West Ham United – Nuno’s starting line up offers huge Earthy opportunity

West Ham United’s pre season officially gets underway shortly as the Hammers travel out to Southend. A lack of new signings has perhaps created something of a sense of anti-climax for the Irons but the welcome news yesterday of Jarrod Bowen’s commitment next season was every bit as welcome.

The Irons boss has named his starting XI for this afternoon’s fixture and there is the exciting whiff of youth about the line up: Starting his first game for West Ham in a year will be the irreversible young midfielder George Earthy, for whom opportunity knocks with the ‘situation vacant; created by Mateus Fernandes’ departure to Spurs.

Kieber Lamadrid, West Ham’s next best thing to a new signing, will start on the left – reports suggest that the young Venezuelan has been hard at work in the gym so look to see if he’s bulked up as is claimed and more resistant to opposition tackles.

The old pairing of Kilman and Mavropanos returns – after Disasi’s departure West Ham are down to just the two frontline centre backs so again, it will be interesting to see whether the duo look more solid together than the last time they started a game together.

West Ham United:
Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Scarles, Kanté, Earthy, Lamadrid, Bowen, Pablo, Taty.

Full match report follows the game