West Ham vs Southampton (H) Match Thread 31.03.18

ASLEFshrugged

Hammerdublin said:

He should be on the pitch in each and every one of our remaining games, beginning with the match vs Southhampton.

With Collins and Reid both out for an unspecified period I think you might get your wish

alderz

Given how weak we have been recently with a back three, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing us move back to the 4.

Adrian
Zabaleta Rice Ogbonna Masuaku
Antonio Noble Kouyate Lanzini
Arnautovic
Hernandez

And if Lanzini is out then bring Masuaku forward and have Cresswell at LB.

Lukerz

alderz ;ok

I was thinking something along the same lines (abandoning the back 3), but with different personnel. I have changed my mind on my original line-up.

Adrian
Zabaleta - Kouyate - Ogbonna - Cresswell
Antonio - Noble (c) - Rice - Lanzini/Mario - Masuaku
Arnautovic

Hart, Evra, Chicharito, Hugill and whoever is left.

Would like to see Rice in DM as opposed to CB. 1) because I don't think Noble or Kouyate do it anywhere near well enough and 2) because he is less likely to make a mistake that costs us in such a big game, so is well protected (although I appreciate it can still happen, like against Newcastle). So I'd swap him with Kouyate who has past experience there. Assuming Collins is out of course.

Then solidity the midfield with a five, initially, obviously with Lanzini trying to support Arnie. Masuaku and Antonio offer pace outside, but can support the full back given their wing-back experience, especially Masuaku (I have my doubts about Antonio doing this role). It also gives us the chance to go to a back five (Zab as RCB or Rice drops back).

Adrian
Kouyate - Ogbonna - Cresswell
Zabaleta - Noble - Rice - Lanzini/Mario - Masuaku
Antonio - Arnautovic

Either way I don't feel too optimistic. 1-3.

ASLEFshrugged

While I agree the last three games have been diabolical we were truly awful with a back four, the only games we won were Swansea and Huddersfield, we drew against Burnley and Leicester but we lost the rest.

Stick with the back three, depending on who's actually fit to play

alderz

Maybe we’ll be better with Masuaku back ;pray

thornburyiron

Felt quite comfortable and secure these last couple of weeks safe in the knowledge that if the season had to be suddenly ended we'd be safe. Now we're getting near Saturday the fear's starting to creep in that we could be bottom 3 come 5pm

DJ Hammer

thornburyiron said:

Felt quite comfortable and secure these last couple of weeks safe in the knowledge that if the season had to be suddenly ended we'd be safe. Now we're getting near Saturday the fear's starting to creep in that we could be bottom 3 come 5pm

Never fear, just think what Churchill would have said/done!

Cuz1

Keep the faith COYI

ASLEFshrugged

DJ Hammer said:

Never fear, just think what Churchill would have said/done!

Churchill wouldn't have said or done anything as he famously disliked sports apart from polo

On the other hand Clem Attlee played for non-league Fleet FC in the 1900s, Harold Wilson was a Huddersfield Town fan, John Major supports Chelsea and Gordon Brown is Raith Rovers.

The most accomplished sporting post-war Prime Minister was Sir Alec Douglas-Home who played cricket for Eton, Oxford, Middlesex and the MCC

I think I might have too much time on my hands.......

IronHerb

Isn't there train you should be driving? ;lol

ASLEFshrugged

Nah, I've got two weeks off, back at work Monday

thornburyiron

Merse has this down as 2-1 Saints win.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Lose this we are as good as down

In my opinion obviously

Hammerwombat

3 points guaranteed against manu.


No fear ;biggrin

steve

wish we had another game against spurs that would be fun ;biggrin

Cuz1

steve said:

wish we had another game against spurs that would be fun ;biggrin

Wish we had three games against the spuds we’d be good as safe

Pengeman

A must win game - an old cliche but very true this time. My team

Adrian
Collins/Rice - Ogbonna - Cresswell
Antonio - Noble - Kouyate - Lanzini - Masuaku
Hugill - Arnautovic

Hugill is hungry and can be a nuisance for the Saints centre-backs. He can also hold the ball better than Hernandez and brings others into the game.

alderz

If I was Southampton I would feel far safer to come up against Hugill than Hernandez

ASLEFshrugged

Lawro says 2-1 to us

Now I'm nervous

buffybegood

Another piece to show us in a bad light

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43584859

Pearces_Left_Foot

Chief sports writer at bbc is Dan roan a Sheffield Utd fan he has written loads of articles putting us a bad light since tevez incident

ASLEFshrugged

The reporter in this case is Simon Stone, he's Man U

thornburyiron

It's not the article showing the club in a bad light but the moronic imbeciles at the Burnley game.

MrsGrey

Clickbait headine in the BBC, imo.

The quality of their reporting has been poor for a long time. (Again, imo)

IronHerb

But the headline is probably true so not clickbait imo.

ASLEFshrugged

Over the last 20 years the BBC has had its budget squeezed, been turfed out of Television Centre (currently being converted into luxury flats) and forced to relocate a large part of its operation to Salford, all to keep Mr Murdoch happy although it does seem that the Dirty Digger's influence is waning

Its little wonder the quality of reporting has suffered, like most of our newspapers its highly reliant on unpaid interns

Hammerex

ASLEFshrugged said:

Lawro says 2-1 to us

Now I'm nervous

I am really worried now, Lawro always get's it wrong. ;yercoat

Lukerz

Rumour from Ex is no Lanzini but Collins and Kouyate are fine.

Might not be too bad given the last time we had a reasonable run of performances he wasn’t involved.

MrsGrey

IronHerb said:

But the headline is probably true so not clickbait imo.

They aren't mutually exclusive.

Vorselaarhammer

Our one truly bright spot of the season, the emergence of Rice...

Niall Quinn: "It's a real gift to have a player who can defend & play football. How far is he away from John Stones, who was transferred for £50m? Rice looks the part, moves well, his feet are good, his positioning is very good off the ball and he's not afraid to get stuck in."