Eagles 🦅 v Hammers ⚒ - Saturday 1st January, 5:30pm

Lukerz

You’re welcome. Never in doubt.

Side likely to be:

Fabianski
Coufal - Dawson - Diop - Johnson
Rice - Soucek
Bowen - Lanzini - Benrahma
Antonio

Tough game. Palace cause issues & caused us problems in our first dropped points of the season. I expect the same side but Rice back in for Noble. I suppose there is a question mark over whether Johnson picked up a knock today.

Over to you, Ham, for the pre match analysis…

PrestonHammer

Sounds and looks like an NFL game. All that's missing is one of these @ in the middle somewhere.

steve

When does Benrahma leave on his little round the world trip

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

Tough game against the forum’s second team.

MrsGrey

After this game.

OldCastleSwift

Zaha suspended for this one?

Edit: Just seen that it was two yellows so he'll be back for this one. Drat.

Hamstew

Honestly have no words for this lot. Angry just thinking about them.

Hamstew

I actually have a feeling this will off due to covid.

IronHerb

Gallagher was not in their squad yesterday after being subbed against Spurs. Reasonable to think he will miss this one too which makes a difference to them.

Lukerz

Assistant manager says he was ‘rested’, which I find odd at his age. Surely he’d be on the bench.

ScotHammer

Does anyone know the latest on Cresswell? I think we need him back as he will make the defence stronger, and we seem to miss his crossing and set pieces - we haven’t seemed as dangerous from them since he’s been injured.

Pengeman

Johnson is far better than Masuaku at LB but I think he is injured though may recover by Saturday. Fredericks has also played LB. Or we could have Ashby at RB and Coufal at LB. Playing Masuaku at LB is inviting trouble. Of course, Moyes might play 3-5-2 and play Masuaku at LWB. All we need are three more points.

OutcastLondoner

ScotHammer said:

Does anyone know the latest on Cresswell? I think we need him back as he will make the defence stronger, and we seem to miss his crossing and set pieces - we haven’t seemed as dangerous from them since he’s been injured.

Ex said he's got a chipped bone in his back and still in pain. No return date.

ASLEFshrugged

IronHerb said:

Gallagher was not in their squad yesterday after being subbed against Spurs. Reasonable to think he will miss this one too which makes a difference to them.

Lukerz said:

Assistant manager says he was ‘rested’, which I find odd at his age. Surely he’d be on the bench.

Palace had seven players plus Viera (Covid) unavailable yesterday

Zaha suspended
McArthur thigh
Eze Covid

Olise other
Gallagher other
Clyne other
Andersen other

When asked specifically about Gallagher's absence Palace assistant Osian Roberts told the press

"There's always testing going on so we're always awaiting results and in this particular case, it's making sure we try and keep the group as fresh as possible."

His mother named him Osian???

Dodger58

Hoping he’d be one of the 11

alderz

Lukerz said:

Assistant manager says he was ‘rested’, which I find odd at his age. Surely he’d be on the bench.

I think rested could be code for like ‘inconclusive Covid status’. Come out and say he has it and he misses a few games. Say he’s rested and if he tests negative you’re good to go

Lukerz

Just realised, Palace have lost only once at home all season (1-2 to Villa, 27/11)

Other home results:

0-0 v Brentford
3-0 v Spurs
1-1 v Brighton
2-2 v Leicester
1-1 v Newcastle
2-0 v Wolves
3-1 v Everton
2-2 v Southampton
3-0 v Norwich

I would say smart money goes on a draw.

thornburyiron

None of us big guns in that list though.

Lukerz

Doesn’t seem to be any reference from Moyes regarding Johnson, who seemed to pick up an issue against Watford before being subbed.

Hamstew

On the palace forum their game thread is titled
"Wet Spam Predictions"

I just....
I just really have no....

Lukerz

No emojis either…

ammerinaberdeen

Is it on tv anywhere?

MrsGrey

ammerinaberdeen said:

Is it on tv anywhere?

https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2021/december/31-december/crystal-palace-v-west-ham-united-all-you-need-know

Scroll down

BubblesNeverDies

Referee: Michael Oliver
VAR: Chris Kavanagh

Hmmm. This VAR owes us a favour. What are the odds.

Lukerz

I have seen Palace play a few times. They play some very nice, energetic football. They will cause our defence problems tomorrow so the way to go about this is to try & cause them more issues than they cause us. Zaha is back & always does well against us. Gallagher will be hard to deal with if he is available. Their forwards are all tricky, even if not prolific. The crowd are always up for a game so will make it a good New Years atmosphere.

Lukerz

Also, no Vieira again in the dugout.

Not sure if that will help us.

thornburyiron

Lawro reckons 1-1

alderz

Hamstew said:

On the palace forum their game thread is titled
"Wet Spam Predictions"

I just....
I just really have no....

Did they even refer to it as the Marouane Chamakh Derby?

Hamstew

alderz said:

Hamstew said:

On the palace forum their game thread is titled
"Wet Spam Predictions"

I just....
I just really have no....

Did they even refer to it as the Marouane Chamakh Derby?

Told you they were pathetic

PrestonHammer

Or the Ray Houghton derby?

Lukerz

Last few PL results at their place:

W 2-3 (Zaha, Soucek x2, Dawson, Batshuayi)
L 2-1 (Snodgrass, Kouyate, J.Ayew)
D 1-1 (Noble, Zaha)
D 2-2 (Hernandez, A.Ayew, Milenkovic, Zaha)
W 0-1 (Lanzini)
W 1-3 (Cabaye, Jenkinson, Lanzini, Payet)
W 1-3 (Zarate, Downing, Chamakh, Cole)

Reasonable record there…

Fun fact: there have been quite a lot of red cards in this fixture, both home & away. Possible bet on a red tomorrow, if you are that way. I’d be tempted to go for a 2-2 draw with a red card.