David Moyes is hoping and praying that Sebastian Haller is going to prove him wrong!
The Hammers boss is believed to have had private doubts about the striker over recent weeks preferring, like most of course, the more physically and aggressive approach of Michail Antonio.
But he has been dropping hints of late that he could team the pair up and the match against Villa may be a good opportunity to do so, assuming Antonio’s fitness.
Commenting recently the manager said: ““We have seen it before [playing together]. It was only through injury that changed it around. You stumble across something and it works.”
And speaking to BBC Sport he went even further, saying: ” I want to be flexible and play with a back four when we need to and play with two centre forwards when the right time is correct as well.”
Should Mikey Antonio be fit this weekend the Villa match could present the right sort of opportunity the manager is talking about.
With only one defeat in seven and back to back wins against Fulham and Sheffield United, this may be the moment to give it a go.
The pair were in dynamic form together when we beat Southampton in a vital game at St Mary’s last season which, as far as I recall, was the last time the pair were together. The pairing looked very good indeed at a time when it really needed to.
There’s another big reason for giving Haller a run as we need to see him hike his value up to something near to what we paid for him.
We can expect a big loss on Felipe Anderson when and if we eventually fins a buyer and it would be a serious blow if the same applied to the Frenchman should he fail tomake a big impact this term. He has to be given the chance at some point.
Were it to happen this weekend the team may look like this: Fabianski, Coufal, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Rice, Soucek, Bowen Masuaku, Haller, Antonio.
would be a mistake going to a back four.
I hope you mean Antonio up front with Haller and not Anderson in your line up there Hugh!!
Apologies Lockdown – we all make em LOL
When did anderson come back to us hugh …..lol…
Thats a difficult one . Who would you drop to accommodate both Haller and Antonio in the team . I think Cresswell would struggle in a back four as would Masuaku they just work so well in a back 5 or three depending how Moyes works the system throughout the 90 minutes but they have thrived in there new positions it suits them and the team . If i would drop anyone it would be cresswell ( purely for speed reasons ) and play a 4-3-3 . Mas ,oggy,diop,coufal then rice as the cdm so as mas pushes forward he can drop back into a 3 then in front of him fornals and soucek as the holding midfielders with antonio, haller and bowen the front 3 . What system would you use Hugh and what are your reasons for dropping fornals out of your selection ?
I think that Haller and Antonio did play together at St Mary’s in December – but then played together again at the London Stadium and both scored together with Bowen in our 3-1 win just before lockdown this year
If it ain’t broken…
Ive said it before but aint it great that we can talk about keeping good players on the bench and believe at the same time that no changes to the starting line up wont hinder our chances of winning.
Drop Masuaku for Benrahma and that would be a very interesting team.
I like hearing Moyes days this that he doesn’t rely on one system & could change if need too it’s more about the togetherness & job. I do think to go back to back 4 a LB would be best & Wagner is know saying he wants move not seems much of him but he is very solid Defender & rounded LB. Right now back 3 has been what we need but we played well in back 4 after break & against Arsenal this season.
Villa will be a good test