For me there is only 1 selection I'm debating and that's either to go with twists 442 or swap sakho for Kouyate and push Lanzini into a #10 position which should also allow Antonio and Arnautovic a bit more attacking freedom
Seeing as we are at home against lower mid table opposition and it was working well up until the sending off I would have stuck with the 442. However, if Chicharito is out I would go for:
In general I would say Cress was the better LB and Masu the better LWB/LM, but Masu has looked in form when played recently and Cress is not at his best so Masu gets his chance for me. Other than that everybody else played pretty well against Burnley so keep their places (with the obvious exception).
I'll be very disappointed if Martinez isn't included. Do we really want to risk Hernandez if he's feeling his hamstring? Is Ayew good enough to play that role?
Martinez has 23 goals in 26 U23 games. Surely that's enough for at least a place on the bench when two of our three strikers are out?!
Ok, now I understand the West Ham social media team were pushing Ayew’s training ground goals the other day. They were reminding us he was a striker so when he starts on Friday no-one has a meltdown.
You really worried me there OCS but Slav is more positive surrounding Lil'Pea:
“Chicharito had a slight problem but he’s training at 4pm and he should be good to train with us. It’s not a big thing. He trained and felt a little bit of a tight hamstring, so we scanned it which was important, and the scan was completely clear. He missed Wednesday’s light session and we expect him to train today and, based on his feeling, to be OK."
Going by that all is good and fit to play tomorrow. I therefore stand by my aforementioned team!
Just makes me more than a little nervous that it was deemed worthy of a scan. We've seen with a number of our players in recent months that we have a habit of playing them when perhaps we shouldn't.
I have a unsettling feeling that we'll play him and he'll be subbed off before half time with a more serious injury.
Hopefully it was scanned BECAUSE we've seen things bite us in the bum before. As in probably didn't need doing but we got it done anyway just in case. Or that's what I'm hoping, really don't want him to suffer anything long term.
However I do agree that if we do play him, let's sub him off after 60 or so just in case, hopefully with at least a goal to his name and our team well out in front!
However what's with this Sakho injury? 'Back issues' again apparently. He hasn't trained since the Burnley game according to Slav. He is by far the most injury prone player in our squad, outdoes Carroll by a fair margin.
I would do it the other way round Florin. Put him on the bench and only bring him on for the last 20 mins if we are struggling.Hopefully we won't need to.
I'll be very disappointed if Martinez isn't included. Do we really want to risk Hernandez if he's feeling his hamstring? Is Ayew good enough to play that role?
Martinez has 23 goals in 26 U23 games. Surely that's enough for at least a place on the bench when two of our three strikers are out?!
Would be very disappointed not to see Martinez in the squad tomorrow
Comments
Either formation I'd be happy with
We definitely need 6 points, looking at our fixtures after that:
Liverpool (h)
Watford (a)
Leicester (h)
Everton (a)
Man City (a)
Chelsea (h)
Arsenal (h)
Stoke (a)
That takes us up to the 16th December.
I can easily see us having less than a point a game by the 16th Dec, possibly being in the relegation zone.
If we get 3 points from our next 2 games, we will need 7 points from those following 8 games, just to stay at a point a game.
If it is true, will we see SB revert to 4-2-3-1 ;hmm
Hart
Zaba Fonte Reid Cresswell
Obiang Kouyate
Antonio Lanzini Arnautovic
Sakho
Adrian, Masuaku, Ogbonna, Noble, Fernandes, Ayew, Martinez
Would be my guess.
However, if Chicharito is out I would go for:
---------Hart---------
Zab--Fonte--Reid--Masuaku
----Obiang--Kouyate----
--Ant---Lanzini---Arnie--
--------Sakho---------
Adrian, Oggy, Byram, Cress, Noble, Ayew, Martinez
In general I would say Cress was the better LB and Masu the better LWB/LM, but Masu has looked in form when played recently and Cress is not at his best so Masu gets his chance for me. Other than that everybody else played pretty well against Burnley so keep their places (with the obvious exception).
Irons Victory! ;scarf coyi ;scarf
SB has also said that Martinez probably won't be in the squad because "we have enough options".
As far as I can see, those options are Ayew and a possibly-injured Hernandez ;hmm Personally, I don't consider that 'enough'.
https://whufc.com/news/articles/2017/october/19-october/live-blog-slaven-bilic-press-conference
I'll be very disappointed if Martinez isn't included. Do we really want to risk Hernandez if he's feeling his hamstring? Is Ayew good enough to play that role?
Martinez has 23 goals in 26 U23 games. Surely that's enough for at least a place on the bench when two of our three strikers are out?!
I have a unsettling feeling that we'll play him and he'll be subbed off before half time with a more serious injury.
However I do agree that if we do play him, let's sub him off after 60 or so just in case, hopefully with at least a goal to his name and our team well out in front!
on for the last 20 mins if we are struggling.Hopefully we won't need to.
Would be very disappointed not to see Martinez in the squad tomorrow