Vienna victory could not be more vital

On the face of it the game in Rapid Vienna should be a straightforward operation but for me victory is vital and we need to bounce back in a big way from the Wolves game.

With various factors having intervened it’s become easy to forget the game can settle our overcrowded calendar down in a big way until March.

Victory ensures we top the group after initially being banned courtesy of some calling themselves fans of the Hammers ensuring decent supporters were banned from travelling

That was then made redundant a couple of days later as Austria went into lockdown ensuring the game was played behind closed doors on Thursday night.

There will me those who reckon we looked tired, lethargic and second best at Molineux and with such a small squad where some look impossible of inputting at the highest level we need to make sure that we are free of European commitments until the spring.

Thus I hope the manager plays a relatively strong side for a match which sees us on 10 points and Vienna on three.

I would be happy for young Ben Johnson to get a rest and allow Vladi Coufal a recall; but Dawson can be worrying at times so my central defensive pairing would be Zouma and Diop with Cress on the left of course.

Declan looks as though he could do with another break based on the Wolves game so Alex Kral and Tomas being given the role he loves – of driving forward – looks a decent call.

Moysie has been talking about giving Masuaku an outing on the left so that’s probably a given and the other three places for me should be handed to Lanzini, Bowen and on this occasion Antonio who needs to recover some confidence building form.

So my team is: Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Diop, Cress; Kral, Soucek, Masuaku, Lanzini, Bowen, Antonio.

Our squad needs a rest and a decent win will give them that.

COYI