West ham boss David Moyes suggested in his post match presser following the Liverpool game that he hopes he can turn the squad around in time for Saturday’s 12.30 kick off at Selhurst Park.
As mentioned in a previous piece on Claret and Hugh it seems unfair that while Palace will have had three days to recover from their game this week we get only two but it begs just as big a question at another level.
Should the manager be suggesting that he needs to turn the same players around who were so unluckily beaten by Klopp’s lot one worries about the squad as a whole. Are there none who can step straight in from the start because if not it tends to devalue the Conference if that’s the only place they get their chance,
Several new players in during the summer window and added Danny Ings in the winter and although Scamacca has been out for most of the campaign one way or another it seems we are playing the same players match in match out – can that be right in such a crowded schedule?
There are players who look leggy, Soucek for example, whilst Benrahma surely needs a long rest right now and the the ageing players probably could use one too but it isn’t happening. No sign of Lanzini, Downes, Johnson, Emerson or Areola, all of whom appear to be not much more than back ups
Assuming all are fit I would expect no changes on Saturday and one can only hope that Moyes can rely on the fitness of the lads.
One or two need resting and this would be my team: Areola, Coufal, Aguerd, Zouma, Cresswell; Rice, Downes, Paqueta, Fornals, Bowen Antonio.
By Hughie Southon
Last night proved without any doubt Moyes has not changed. How he still picked Benrahma, how he did not rest Soucek, how he did not play Fornals. How he continues to ignore Lanzini.. I really cant see how the club can continue with him. We will lose quality players in the summer if he stays, he will waste all the money on players yet again (no idea why we signed ings) and finally he will not integrare the young players into the PL. He is the most negative manager in the history of the club and nothing has changed. I do not expect any changes to the team at the weekend , if we lose the knives will be sharpening. The way he has treated players he deserves to be treated the same way.