West Ham UNITED vs City's Stars - Wed 1st Feb KO 19:45 London Stadium Fortress

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

Roll up roll up!!!!

Here we go number 3 in this matchday thread malarkey.

Will Payet be gone? Will Fonte make his debut, will Andy Carroll terrorise another defence?

Tell you what, we certainly ain't going down 0-5 in this one....

Onwards and upwards.

Seven Bilic's claret and blue army!!

Hammerwombat

I will gladly take a point from this. But a good performance against them will be enough for me after that dismal cup game.

FlorinRaduclious

Expecting a tough game here. I feel MCity were unlucky in the Spurs game, and with the surprising smashing by Everton the game before, they will be desperate for points here: we could be the poor team that is forced to take their reaction.

However we are at home, and for me been very good the last two games. Also, MCity have an FA cup match on the 22nd so we should be fresher. I hope we play with confidence but a solid shape. I would go (4;2;3;1):

Randy
Byram Reid Fonte Cress
Noble Obiang
Feg Lanzini Antonio
Carroll

To be honest would be delighted with a draw (ecstatic for a win obvs) but want a good display from the boys, with the home fans healthy in voice behind them.

Ravel49

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard said:

Tell you what, we certainly ain't going down 0-5 in this one....

Onwards and upwards.

Seven Bilic's claret and blue army!!

SEVEN ;nonono

SuzanneClaret

I think Bilic will start with the same 11 he did yesterday but will swap Ogbona for Fonte.

We wont be quite the push over in this game as we were in the cup.

I'm going to miss it as I am on a course in Wimbledon and won't get back in time.

FlorinRaduclious

Suz - would you stick with the 4;4;2 formation with Lanzini on left and Ant up top? I worry that would leave Cress exposed and our CM outnumbered by better players.

SuzanneClaret

;hmm I'm going to have to think about that.

Lukerz

I expect Ginge to replace Ogbonna with Fonte on the bench.

Slav seems like the loyal sort to give Ginge the chance to stake his claim before the new boy comes in.

MrsGrey

I hope (expect) we will play without fear, because we have points in the bag and we are looking safe (imo). Nobody expects us to get anything, so the pressure's off.

Let's see some ballin'

Anything could happen.

;wahoo coyi

alderz

Honestly, this is the sort of game that Ginge is made for. He loves it when he's under the cosh.

I would expect the same XI but Collins in for Ogbonna. However, I don't think we'll go 4-4-2. I think he'll push Lanzini inside and Antonio onto the left hand side, with a brief to get close to Carroll as quickly as possible.

Side note, Mark Noble now has 392 West Ham appearances (19th highest ever for the club). This season, he can catch:
- Tommy Taylor (396)
- Ted Hufton (402)
- Ernie Gregory (406)

Next season he will have these guys in his sights:
- John Bond (428)
- Ray Stewart (431)
- Phil Parkes (436)
- Alan Devonshire (446)

IronHerb

I think it will be Fonte for Ogbonna otherwise unchanged.

eskimoking

Were we playing 4-4-2 against boro then? I hadn't realised that.

alderz

eski

Antonio kind of plays everywhere, so I think the formation was more 4-4-1 with Antonio just legging it around wherever he wants

Adam

It was 442 in the first half and 451 in the second when we were defending our lead.

eskimoking

Ta both ;thumbsup

Back to 4231 for this game then!

TheMadcapLaughs

I would definitely stick with 4-4-2. Carroll and Antonio will give them something to think about. One thing we definitely need to do is get in their faces. We gave them FAR too much time and space last time. Need to put pressure on the ball all over the pitch, play a high line, and not on the edge of our 18 yard box. Despite the drubbing they gave us last time we should be a totally different proposition now. 3--2 to the mighty Hammers in a thrilling game, and for some reason I fancy Cresswell to score. ;scarf
As Mrs G says, nothing to fear, nothing to lose.

alderz

Now I think about it, why not go 4-4-2? Their defence is very, very poor, and the energy and physicality of M30A and A9C may be too much for them. I can see Stones trying to play out from the back with Antonio steaming into him every time

Yeoldhammer

Not sure about Byram versus Sterling. Byram likes his late swipes and I can see him getting roasted by Sterling a few times. Think Reid and Fonte will need to rope Byram and Cresswell in to keep Sterling and Aguero in front of them to limit the space they have. I would even be inclined to tell Noble to track Silva all game.

However in saying all of that ! Everton destroyed City by playing a very high pressing game. Stones did not look comfortable one bit when being put under pressure and neither did Otamendi in his (I play anywhere role).

I would personally tell Antonio / Lanzini / Feghouli to push right up on top of City's back 4 and have Noble and Obiang just delay anything City do when the get forward to give time for the 4 pushing to get back then use the back 4 as a screen to keep Aguero and Sterling in check and playing across the line than behind.

eskimoking

That all sounds so easy! 4-0 West Ham ;wink

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

It's the type of game where the manager really earns his stripes

If you push then high up the pitch you can catch them out and are then presented with easy effort at goal......but if they play out the back and bypass the pressing players then we will be turned and they'll have lots of space to exploit and they've got the quality to hurt us

If you sit back and defend you can plug up the gaps and restrict them areas to pull you apart and you can hope for a rare counter or set piece to get a goal.....but again you allow their better players time in the ball where they can pick a spot

Intruiging to see how Bilic approaches it, I'd like to say be ruthless and press from the front but honestly we just aren't very good at it, Carroll lack of pace doesn't help here, so think it'll probably be 4-5-1 and hope Carroll can hold it up long enough to bring our midfield for wen we do attack

Adam

I think he'll start with 451 or even 343 (defensive) and if we're level in the second half, he'll change it to two up front.

Anyway, formation isn't as important as intensity. We need to be in their faces and hassle them.

IronHerb

Get shots on target. I think the last 6 shots on target against Citeh have all gone in.

thornburyiron

That's what you get when you buy a keeper who doesn't use his hands

TwistandShout

-------------------Randolph---------------------
------------------------------------------------
Byram---------Reid--------Fonte-----------Cresswell
------------------------------------------------
-------------Noble-------Obiang-----------------
------------------------------------------------
Feghouli-----------Lanzini----------------Antonio
------------------------------------------------
------------------Carroll-------------------------

Subs:
Adrian, Collins, Oxford, Fernandes, Quina, Fletcher, Calleri

Looking forward to seeing Fonte. Hoping we sign Hogan this week ;pray

eskimoking

IronHerb said:

Get shots on target. I think the last 6 shots on target against Citeh have all gone in.

I'm just so excited for him to have a worldy against us!

Lukerz

This is live on BT Sport Weds

IronHerb

No. it's live at the London Stadium but being broadcast on BT Sport ;biggrin

Lukerz

;biggrin

Kuchinghammer

Snoddie on in second half, two headed goals for AC. Still, we might be 4-0 down by then. I didn't see the FA cup thrashing, so will start in front of the ;sofa

OutcastLondoner

I have a good feeling. No Payet. Need to post a response. 2-0 to them.

OldCastleSwift

Going to this one; my first visit to the LS.

Presumably I'll be frisked to within an inch of my life and all of my Mars Bars confiscated...?

I'm as confident as you OCL, 1-3