Unkindly named by some as ‘El Sackio II’ , following Eric ten Hag’s dismissal after losing at London Stadium earlier this autumn, Woverhampton Wanderers and under threat manager Gary O’Neil come visiting West Ham United tonight.
In Julen Lopetegui’s latest ‘must-win’ game (on the basis that sooner or later he ‘must-win’ one of them)- his team selections are hamstrung by the reports of dressing room divisions and ‘claims’ that at least one player – Jean-Clair Todibo – has been banished from the first team training ground. With Michail Antonio in hospital, Lopetegui must choose either to start Ings or recovering Niclas Fullkrug – either than or move captain Jarrod Bowen to the striker role with Kudus and Summerville on the wings.
7.45 and the starting eleven has just been announced: Niclas Fullkrug and Danny Ings both start on the bench and, interestingly, there is a place on the bench also for Jean Clair Todibo .
Big Calls Made: Lopetegui has gone with Jarrod Bowen as a central striker and Lucas Paquetá again not in the starting XI.
West Ham United:
Fabianski | Wan Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson | Alvarez, Soler, Soucek | Kudus, Bowen , Summerville
A good team selection from Lopetegui,
Will Lady Brady be waiting in the tunnel at the end of the match like she was with Pellegrini ?
Hopefully the men in white coats can strap both JLo and Sullivan in to some straight jackets and send them to the asylum with some nice padded walls.
Brazilian kid yet again dosnt even make.the bench…hope we lose ..so this clown goes …Will be best for the club in long run
Surely it would be wiser to Play Fullkrug from the start and replace him at half time or around the hour mark.we need to get off to a flier and starting with no out and out striker smacks of a manager really clutching at straws now.
If we can outclass Wolves, we just need to outplay them tonight. Nothing flash, nothing fancy. Just get out there and do a solid job. COYI
There’s only one ball. Let’s concentrate on using it wisely.
Can you imagine us being only behind Spurs if we get three points tonight 🤩
They beat Man City and their fans were dreaming of Champions League, – 3 games and 1 point out of 9 and we could be breathing down their necks.
COYI
Bowen as striker hasn’t often worked, let’s see if playing for Micky provides some magic.
Can’t help feeling the midfield is a bit lightweight without Paqueta in it, though he hasn’t played well so probably the only choice he could have made.
Todibo on the bench looks due to not being able to bury a hatchet.
Fullkrug probably not match fit enough to play a full game.
Let’s hope there’s no kamikaze tactics.