Lopetegui’s troubles are exacerbated by the reported bust-up with Jean-Clair Todibo , which means that the West Ham boss has backed himself into a corner with his defence selection as he only now has two fit centre backs to choose from.
This is the time of the week when we try to look ahead one hour and predict the starting line up – remember that this is not our preferred XI – but our best guess from what we’ve read all week as to what the head coach will nail up on the team sheet notice board at 7.45: It could well be his last team selection!
As there’s been six days since the last game, recovery period isn’t an issue for veteran keeper Fabianski so we’d expect him to start. Options of course are deeply limited now leading the line and Danny Ings fared so badly last time out: Lopetegui can gamble and use Jarrod Bowen as a striker, play Kudus in his preferred right wing role and start Summerville in his favourite position on the left.
Or he can gamble on Niclas Fullkrug being fit enough for a frontman start with Bowen and Kudus either side in which case Summerville reverts to the bench.
Sadly, history has shown Lopetegui doesn’t set out his team to gamble but panics when the team goes behind. On that basis we’d suggest the cautious starting line up of:
Fabianski | Wan Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson | Soucek, Soler, Paquetá | Bowen (c) Ings, Kudus
With Fullkrug and Summerville entering rapidly when West Ham inevitably go behind.
Score predictions
Martin 1-1
Matt 1-1
Sean 1-0 West Ham win
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Last Time Out
West Ham V Leicester
Yes, I was the optimist who predicted a one- all draw. Fail. West Ham 1-3 Leicester was the final score. And should have been the final nail in Lopetegui’s coffin.
Last week: “I was the optimist who predicted a one- all draw. ”
A 1-1 draw against that Leicester team was hardly being optimistic.
The actual outcome was more about West Ham ability to convert more of the 31 attempts.
Predicting 31 attempts and only 1 goal would be pessimistic.
We have a great chance of a convincing win tonight. Just so long as everyone joins in. Effort from all. The very least, staying awake and trying to contribute. Everyone doing their job as they see it. That is why they are on the pitch and being paid handsomely to represent West Ham United.
Come On You Irons
Wolves shipped 4 goals last time out, so I am sure they will be set up to counter attack (like Leicester). So as we are so easy to score against I have a bad feeling Wolves will steal this 2-1. I hope I am wrong. Even if this is the result, I don’t think he will be sacked. As shown with Moyes, the board will stay behind their man as long as possible.
COYI ⚒️⚒️⚒️
If all else fails, ask yourself “What kind of coach does not understand his selection limitations well enough to avoid falling out with his first choice players, especially when he knows his job is already on the line?”
I have supported the Hammers for many years. They have never been able to defend and this is why the team has let in so many goals under Moyes and Lopetegui.
Ings starting the game up front was a disaster and so it proved.
We need two up front tonight and I’m sure we will have a convincing win
I have no idea what the score will be tonight, it could be anything both sides concede so readily. It could be the first game ever where both sides lose.
I hope that those who decided to boycott are enough of them to make it obvious that they have, they deserve to be heard in their way. I hope those who decided not to boycott make their displeasure clearly heard.
What’s been going on is a farce that we all deserve better than frankly. I’ll have a shot at the sacking score being an El Sackico 1-1