West Ham’s first home fixture in a month and new coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s first at London Stadium gets underway tonight in an hour and a quarter. The Hammers are seeking to climb out of the relegation zone with three points in what will be only their third home win in nine months if they can overcome Brentford’s threat.
The Bees have a poor away record this season, winless on the road. The backdrop to the game, with home fans protesting against the clubs owners means that a solid tranche of home support for the Hammers is far from guaranteed as we’ll wait to see the effect of the called-for boycott of the fixture.
Team selection nobody had predicted- least of all Brentford’s manager!
West Ham’s starting eleven has just been announced and there’s a massive surprise in store for Hammers fans: A back line of Ollie Scarles, Kyle Walker-Peters,Jean Clair Todibo and Max Kilman!
No Diouf , Wan Bissaka or Mavropanos. The coach has decided to stick with the back four who were not away on international duty and have been working with him for two weeks. A brave call.
Possibly with half an eye on the quick turnaround for Leeds on Friday too, Nuno performs his own unique ‘rotation’ which also means Andy Irving starts in midfield ahead of Soungoutou Magassa. The only ‘as predicted’ element of the side is the front trio.
West Ham United:
Areola | Walker Peters, Kilman, Todibo, Scarles | Fernandes , Irving , Soucek | Summerville, Paquetá, Bowen (c)
We’ll have match reports and Gonzo’s ‘player ratings’ immediately after the game so – sit back, enjoy Sky’s coverage if you can and report back here at full time to compare our own verdict with your opinions… Come.On. You. Irons!
Ridiculous,no invention in midfield,no forward,paqueta hates playing as a forward.
Diouf has been good,bissaka ?.
Bet Gonzales comes on instead of a youngster.
Sorry, relegation candidates,never same team.
Martin perhaps you could email me to explain why Taffyhammer is allowed to insult other fans but you won’t allow others to post in their defence?
Regards
Automatic profanity disbarment: if the language doesn’t include obscene words then it stands a better chance of being published and some of those in your recent ‘conversations’ have been deleted before I’ve even cast eyes on them. You’ve flagged up something for me going forwards.
That is 100% on Nuno’s starting XI. Why did Diouf not start. Two central midfielders who are slow, can’t pass and can’t get around pitch. Just a shocking lineup. We never started due to that and could not recover. Why did Wilson not get on. Nuno is just another Potter!
Absolute poor team selection.
Poor tactics and game plan.
Poor substitutions.
Deserved to lose.
First half was worst I’ve seen this season. Whoever thought Kilman and Todibo were worth £72m between is mad 72p is 72p too much.
Yeah, half time, and really no surprise we’re behind with this line up.
Why do consecutive West Ham managers play players out if position?
Why no recognised striker on the field when we have 2 in the bench?
Why have we gone back to slow and ponderous players (I get it, the aerial threat, but the defence before today were showing improvement)?
It’s BS to claim Nuno is saving the legs for Friday’s game, pointless to do that if we come away from this… Pointless!
Half time, and It’s fair to say whatever NES is trying it hasn’t really worked. Most puzzling things is having the fullbacks on the opposite sides. Also Todibo is the worst CB I’ve seen play for West ham since Kilman.
So, after that abysmal first half, can we say that the team selection has been a master stroke ?
Can someone please tell me why scales is playing right back ?
Need a centre forward and had not cottoned on to the fact that the full backs are playing on opposite sides to usual 😮.
Paqueta is no good up front – no surprise. Hope to see major changes at half-time.
Delighted to see Scarles on, thought Diouf needed a respite and Scarles is a good defender and Irving starts, brilliant!! Think KWP as earned his spot ahead of AWB.
Hope does not keep Paqueta up front for the whole game. Great to see the squad used in an intelligent manner – just upfront.
COYI!!
Hmmmmmmm, I watch it and see, hopefully it’s inspired
First signs of a manager who does not know what he is doing.
Todibo, in from the cold, making his usual mistakes.
Scarles has not developed into a good defender yet.
A left footer on right back, and a right footer on left back … interesting.
Kilman, oh Kilman? and Soucek, oh Soucek?
And what has Nuno got against JWP?
Come on Nuno, why, why, why ??????.
I applaud the decision making and it makes sense with another game coming this Friday and making use of the squad is a huge change to those before him who chose not to….of course there are some concerns but i will give every player who takes to the pitch tonight my full backing
Let’s hope it’s good because Potter would have been absolutely slaughtered for that lineup if we’d lost.
Who cares about Leeds, that’s tomorrow’s problem.
What the hell!!! Im in complete shock.
This has lots of elements of Lopetegui and Potter shocking selections. Let’s hope NES can get something out of Soucek, Irving and Tobido no one else did.
Unless NES really has worked some magic it’s hard to understand not selecting Diouf, Magassa, AWB,maybe Potts too – and yet again no centre forward.
If we don’t really go for it against Brentford, with a poor away record, at home then when do we?
Be watching behind the sofa…
Potts must be gutted
Wow would never have thought that would be the starting lineup. Let’s hope he has seen something in training that makes him think this will work 🤷♂️
Just seen the team selection while travelling to the game. I am so bored of managers who want to play without a centre forward. Have now turned around and gone home