West Ham vs Stoke City (H) Match Thread 16.04.2018

Yeoldhammer

Momentum Momentum Momentum nice and early.

3 points against the Saints
1 point against the Blues

The Potters are up next.

Can West Ham creep to safety.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

I think we're safe if we win this. I'm counting on a huge atmosphere under the lights and some Arnie magic. I hope Lanzini is fit as I think we miss him when we need to keep the ball.

3-0 Hammers coyi

Yeoldhammer

get a win here and if Southampton lose it will be a 9 and 10 point gap with 5 left to play.

Lukerz

Can’t lose this, but should we win we’ll be more or less safe. But can’t lose.

Not a big fan of playing them at home. Not sure we’ve beat them at home since 2011 under Avram (3-0).

One defeat and a load of draws.

I think 1-1 is a likely result but Arnie will be up for it again and they have to win, so you’d think they’d be quite adventurous as the game wears on.

MunichHammer

I don't see this as a must win game. A draw would be enough and even defeat would still leave Stoke 4 points off.

SuzanneClaret

Bash them.

Bash them good.

alderz

They will boo Arnie and he will destroy them

DJ Hammer

SuzanneClaret said:

Bash them.

Bash them good.

My goodness Suz, violence never works.
;angel

ASLEFshrugged

I don't think Stoke aren't going to be an easy win, they certainly didn't deserve to lose 3-0 to Arsenal and they gave Spurs a hard time for 2-1.

Hernandez in for Fernandes but otherwise an unchanged starting line up with hopefully Lanzini fit enough for the bench

Sadly I'll be working

IronHerb

Given that there are few if any easy games in the Prem Stoke haven't won since 20th January with a P11 W0 D3 L8 record.

Even though they put in some performances they cant cash in on them or score goals. That is what, imo, makes a team a relegation candidate.

alderz

If Joe Hart plays the rest of the season like he did yesterday, should we sign him on a permanent? We will need a goalkeeper if we don't, and if he finishes the season in that sort of form I can't think we'd be able to get anyone better.

ASLEFshrugged

Stoke has a big problem with their strikers, Diouf's jammy goal against Spurs was his first since they last won, Berahino is on a sulk of epic proportions and Crouch probably hasn't got the legs for a full 90 minutes

MrsGrey

Stoke haven't taken up their full allocation, so there are a bunch of tickets just been made available, £40 for 2.

#bargain

baracks_a_hammer

Berahino hasn’t scored for stoke at all right, and not anywhere for a couple of years??

Crikey, I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid posting something like that. We all know what happens next ;doh

thornburyiron

We thought that about Shane Long and Austin

ASLEFshrugged

baracks_a_hammer said:

Berahino hasn’t scored for stoke at all right, and not anywhere for a couple of years??

Crikey, I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid posting something like that. We all know what happens next ;doh

30 appearances, 12 starts, no goals.

Lambert fined him for turning up late for a U-23s game against Villa on Easter Monday, he was told to train with the U23s rather than the first team on Thursday and he wasn't even on the bench on Saturday

jay_in_cpt

Ref appointed..
Michael Oliver

IronHerb

Must be a 'Big Game' then. ;biggrin

Yeoldhammer

So will Lanzini / Collins be back ?

Is Cresswell injured ?

Will Andy Carroll play again this season ?

Yeoldhammer

thornburyiron said:

We thought that about Shane Long and Austin

Would actually trade Andy Carroll for Shane Long if Saints get relegated.

PrestonHammer

What Shane Long, the striker who doesn't score very often? No thank you.

IronHerb

1 goal in 23 this season and 19 in 4 seasons, 115 games, at Southampton.
2 goals in 12 this season. 32 in 6 seasons, 120 games, for us.

AC does better from his sick bed.

grey_til_I_dye

While they haven't been getting results, Stoke come into this game with some form.

We need to keep it tight at the back, and not give away silly free kicks around our penalty area, as they have struggled to find the net this season.

In MF, Badou Ndiaye is a big old unit who dumped Spurs' Dembele on the ground more than once, and Sobhi looked useful.

Don't think we need to go at them pell-mell and leave ourselves open. After the point at Chelsea, a point wouldn't be a disaster, whilst losing would be a big blow.

We're currently 7 ahead of them, plus a 15 goal GD, so effectively 8 points clear. If we are no worse than that at the end of the game, I don't see them getting enough points to catch us in their last 4 games.

That said, I think if we manage the game properly we can get a 2-0, and pretty much guarantee PL football next year.

Cuz1

Reported on sky ac back for next match and all season if he can stay fit ;whistle

Lukerz

Yep, Sky reporting Lanzini and Carroll should be in the squad for Monday.

Hammerex

Carroll has been asking for directions how to get to the stadium.

Vorselaarhammer

He is now third choice imo... When does his contract end?

ASLEFshrugged

Carroll signed a six year deal in 2013 so we've got him for another season by which time he'll be 30

Yeoldhammer

Carroll going nowhere like Reid. Too injury prone to be taken on by other clubs now and in Reid's case the boat sailed a while ago for when he could have moved elsewhere. Got himself a nice lucrative deal though to stay.

puddleglumhammers

Only decision is Lanzini or Mario behind the front 2. I would go for the former, but I fear he will take the cautious approach and play them both and leave Hernandez on the bench.

Hart
Rice Ogbonna Cresswell
Zabaleta Noble Kouyate Masuaku
Lanzini
Arnie Hernandez

Fortuneseeker

In MF, Badou Ndiaye is a big old unit who dumped Spurs' Dembele on the ground more than once, and Sobhi looked useful.

We were linked with him last summer but whatever reason he decided to join Stoke.