The spectacular second half at Wembley on Wednesday has handed Slaven Bilic a massive selection dilemma for tomorrow at Palace – who does he drop?
It’s a topic will be on everybody’s mind until an hour before kick off when he finally names his team but the size of the issue is such that – as demonstrated here – he can expect little help from the fans.
ClaretandHugh threw out an invitation to fans and key staff members to pick their team and the results, as shown here, are that the manager will get protests whatever he does because by and large they all differ.
Fascinatingly, eight of the ten teams would see Adrian back in goal whilst only one would include record signing Arnautovic.
So here we go with line-ups from some CandH people and the fans at large!
Hugh’s team: Adrian Zaba, Reid, Rice, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Kouyate, Antonio, Lanzini, Carroll, Ayew.
Sean’s team: Hart, Zaba, Reid, Ogbonna, Masuaku, Obiang, Noble Lanzini,Antonio, Carroll, Ayew
Blogger Rich Sprent: Hart, Zaba, Fonte, Reid, Masuaku, Obiang, Kouyate, Lanzini Arnautovic, Antonio, Chicharito
Now here are the views of several of our followers of the FB forum:
O Adrian Zabaleta Ogbonna Fonte Cresswell Kouyate Noble Antonio Lanzini Ayew Carroll
I think you go 5-2-3
Adrian
Zabaleta
Reid
Ogbonna
Fonte
Cresswell
lanzini
Noble
Ayew
Antonio
Hernandez
I am curious as to why not a single team has Fernandes in it, our best passer of the ball.
Adrian, Masuaku, Ogbonna, Rice, Kouyate, Zab, Ayew, Fernandes, Noble, Lanzini, Carroll.
A lot of them I am rewarding for their play on Wednesday because I think we need confidence running through the team and these are players that need it, including Noble who is not someone I thought I would be picking.
On the bench would be Hart, Hernandez, Reid, Antonio, Arnautovic, Obiang, Byram, the team has a lot of flexibility to play either 4411 or 3 5 1 1, I want Fernandes to blossom into the player he could be and if we can get Ayew showing more of the player from Marseilles then all the better COYI !!!
Agree when he is deployed in mid he has done great. On LW or RW not his position
32, Slav did say Fernandes, Rice, Bryam, Ayew & Ogbonna took their chance and our in contention…..
http://www.football.london/west-ham-united-fc/fixtures-results/west-ham-team-news-rice-13818230
I’d like to see Slave retain a good number of those who turned things around on .wednesday too.
Adrian
Creswell
Fonte
Ogbanna
Kayoute
Zabs
Fernandes
Lanzini
Noble
Ayew
Caroll
Slave? Freudian slip 🙂
Sad I never got a chance to put in my team, but I guess as an Australian blogger, I don’t count for very much.
Hugh & Sean-how on earth can you omit Chicharito?
Aren’t Antonio and Reid supposed to be unfit for the game (as much as I love them both!)?
Bravo to all the people who voted for Adrian as our GK
Sorry Max. I did send e mail and as a preview blogger you can do what you want buddy
How can u not count when I’ve told u I want u on board and you are contributing regularly and I am awaiting your preview?
Hugh, I wrote a preview for the Spuds game..
I occasionally could do 2 previews in one week, but didn’t know that you wanted one..
Not to worry..
Maybe I was at fault, by just not sending you a variation (anyway) of the submission of the article I sent to WestHamWorld around 5 hours ago-and it was only 600 words.
Cheers and thanks for your comments,
M.
Hugh, I never got an e-mail about this, and since I don’t use FB, how was I to know that this was going on?
Max – can’t be a true Aussie mate, not if you love a Kiwi!
😂😂
Hope the team is
Adrian,
Zabaletta, Reid, Ogbonna, Creswell
Kayoute, Noble
Lanzini
Antonio, Carroll, Ayew
Subs
Hart, Fernandes, Obiang, Chico Hernandez, Reid, Fonte
Love your passion Hugh but you are letting heart rule head with your selection (:-) Well I suppose that defines a typical Hammers fan then!
Carroll didn’t look fit to me on Wednesday , he looks like he’s put a few pounds on as well !!
Ayew scored 2 but shouldn’t fool anybody as to what he brings to the team , can we afford that at this point in time ?? I’m all for a 3 -5 – 2 we do better playing that system !
Adrian
Reid (if fit )
Rice
Ogbonna
Zabba
Kouyate
Lanzini ( plus the black eye 😁 )
Obiang
Antonio ( if fit )
Hernandez
Sakho ( if fit )( why not , just use him )
I think their defence is so disorganised Laz that even a half fit Carroll should cause mayhem if we create enough pressure, put in enough crosses or corners, I am worried about Zaha though he has been playing well since his return.
I would agree 32 but Carroll isn’t , and hasn’t been in the box receiving the crosses that only come along as a # 8 bus down old ford lol! He’s either on the wing or c,/m/f , or anywhere really ! I mean was he giving a Kevin stropp on Wednesday or what !! He looked totally uninterested for the first half and much of the second but did manage to do his job with a luvly flick off the head to lanzini ! That’s what he’s supposed to be doing not what he has been doing ! Its about time he started producing as he’s had long enough to get back in shape ?? At the moment a fit sakho will cause more damage than Carroll but is not being played ? Don’t think palace are a pushover on Saturday ! After all we are west ham and we love giving other teams a boost !! Don’t we lol its a tradition 😂
Perfect team Laz…. COYI
Thanks mate , top of the Xmas card list !! 😂😂
I would set mostly the same team. I think Adrian as to start. Could argue AC & Ayee could be used better as sub’s.
But can also say stick with a winning team. If change wouldn’t do much more then put Zab in & maybe take Kouyate out back 3.
Ayew is a poacher and tho he doesn’t run has a knack for being in right place at right time but so does Chicharito.
Palace will have a good defense and Zaha being back will cause some trouble.
So is pace better to get in behind or to we want to long ball to AC.
Adrian
Rice Reid Ogbonna
Zab Cresswell
Noble (Kouyate) Fernandes
Lanzini
Ayew Chicharito
I like Hugh’s line up but Antonio could not be fully fit and should we risk him.
Sub’s: Obiang Hart Sahko(Toni) Fonte Maskuaku & Kouyate or Noble
I’ve read that Bilic wants to start Andy Antonio Ayew & Chicharito against Palace so might be looking at formation change again whether true or not I dk.
But I don’t think Slav will start Sahko even if fit. I think he has made that clear & the fact that Sahko as come out and said he doesn’t want to stay at club