Brentford vs West Ham (A) Sunday 14:00 KO

Yeoldhammer

With a score draw at the London stadium against the French opponents Lyon.

West Ham turn their attention back to the premier league with a short trip to the Brentford Bees.

Brentford whilst not completely safe are almost at the finish line to secure another season in the premier league. After dispatching Chelsea 4-1 they welcome the hammers and another London opposition.

West Ham on the other hand in a clash for European football look to secure points to push them further ahead and into the mix to secure another season of European football.

Will Coufal be available ? With Lanzini missing the first leg will he be bought into the fold again ? With Cresswell unable to partake in the second leg against Lyon after the red card sustained, can he make amends against the Bees.

Thoughts?

alderz

We’ll see much the same side as today. I’d like to see a couple of changes, but I think it’s unlikely. I reckon it’ll be Fab and Lanzini in for Areola and Benrahma.

claretandbluesky

Benrahma looked good today, if his last touch was as good as his first he would be unplayable.

OutcastLondoner

As someone who often defends Benrahma I thought he was awful today. Yes had good first touch but messed up his pass almost every time.

Kuchinghammer

Coufal has to feature, to get him match sharp for Lyon. I wish we could rest Antonio, but...

Slacker

I don’t like to single out players for criticism, but I thought Benrhama was poor, our attacks broke down more often than not when he lost possession.
He’ll get better.

yoyo

I like the fact he has something about him, looks to create and get forward. I always try and stick up for him. Last season I said it was a step up and he'll get better this season. I'm a tad disappointed that he hasn't progressed greatly but still believe there's a match winner in him somewhere. He must always feel the pressure, knowing he always seems to be subbed, perhaps tries too hard. Moyes and Co have to coach it out of him. I hope we stick with him and next season he sets the pitch alight.

Hamstew

I thought he was alright last night.

yoyo

He made good runs and made himself available. His passing was lacking IMO. I thought he had their right back sussed and had the prospect of a good second half in front of him. Of course, we hadn't counted on the ref spoiling that!

OldCastleSwift

yoyo said:

I like the fact he has something about him, looks to create and get forward. I always try and stick up for him. Last season I said it was a step up and he'll get better this season. I'm a tad disappointed that he hasn't progressed greatly but still believe there's a match winner in him somewhere. He must always feel the pressure, knowing he always seems to be subbed, perhaps tries too hard. Moyes and Co have to coach it out of him. I hope we stick with him and next season he sets the pitch alight.

Personally, I think he's playing under more pressure than anybody else in the squad. He's a flair player that tries to make things happen, so needs to have a certain amount of freedom to get it wrong, if you know what I mean. But when he does get it wrong, more often than not he gets subbed and, on more than one occasion, criticised by the manager.

I get the feeling, which may be completely wrong, that he's told to get hold of the game and make things happen, but is lambasted when it doesn't come off. This may make him more introspective on the pitch, which in turn will draw criticism for him not doing enough.

I think he's only playing because Lanzini has been out. The minute Lanzini, Fornals and Bowen are available at the same time, I think he'll be back on the bench. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if we were to sell him in the summer; he's just never felt like a Moyes player.

OutcastLondoner

Benrahma plays best when the unit is working well. Good movement around him and good runs into the box helps him massively. So I think he's sometimes criticised for the failures of other players that make him look bad. Yesterday was a game though where his final ball was pretty bad. Having said that, his own movement was pretty good and the touch to take down the Dawson pass was perfect.

I think it's tough on a flair player unless you're almost perfect, like Payet was. Not many are.Even Bruno Fernandes actually gives it away quite a lot.

Slacker

And Benrhama is a much nicer man than Fernandes, which is another thing in his favour of course.

nychammer66

So, my predictions for this weekend:
Villa, Everton and Brighton all win big; irons crush Brentford to go 4th.
Now where did I put my pills?

claretandbluesky

Benrhama's future may be decided by Lingard coming, or not.

No denying he is highly talented however, the way he took that ball down was perfect technique.

OutcastLondoner

Maybe. But also think he’s way better when he’s played more centrally. He played two or three really nice through balls on the weekend that should’ve been finished. So think he’s a bit different to Lingard.

ASLEFshrugged

Martin Atkinson is the ref, we've had him 64 times since 2004, last 12 we've won 8, lost 4.

Thomas Frank mixes it up a lot, sometimes three at the back, sometimes four, sometimes two up front, sometimes a lone striker.

In today's press conference he was full of praise for Toney and Mbeumo, said "both of them compliment each other and play to each other's strengths". Think that might be a hint he'll start with them up front and I'd be amazed if Eriksen didn't start

Kuchinghammer

I'm dreading this, because Brentford are a physical team. Injuries are a big risk. 😬

Lukerz

Fabianski
Coufal - Dawson - Zouma - Cresswell
Soucek - Rice
Fornals - Lanzini - Benrahma
Bowen

Areola, Diop, Fredericks, Johnson, Masuaku, Noble, Vlasic, Yarmolenko, Antonio

I think we need to protect Johnson given he will be needed at LB next week. I also think a rest from Antonio given we absolutely need him next week. The stats on our performances when he gets a few days of rest between fixtures tell the story. Other than that, strongest side. I think an hour for Coufal to be replaced by Fredericks would allow him minutes & bring him into contention on Thursday. Benrahma starts after a really poor half from him on Thursday but always likely to do well against a former club.

Tough game. They are inconsistent, though. Can lose at home to Newcastle & Norwich but beat Chelsea & Arsenal.

1-2

Yeoldhammer

Personally would opt for a full rotation here. Vlasic / Lanzini / Coufal / Yarmolenko / Masuaku / Noble / Diop all to come in.

Yeoldhammer

Fabianski

Coufal Diop Zouma Cresswell

Noble Rice Lanzini

Vlasic Yarmolenko Masuaku

ASLEFshrugged

Moyes on Lanzini yesterday

He’s still carrying the knock from the car crash. He’s been training, but has been a bit ginger in what he’s doing, but we’re hopeful he’s getting closer to being able to play.

On the bench at most

Moyes will do what he always does, go with his strongest team

claretandbluesky

Three points here would be a great boost to our Euro hopes now that Both Wolves and United have lost! A must take opportunity what with our tough run in.

IronHerb

What do you mean 'with our run in'?

Spurs (7) - Liverpool (A), Arsenal (H)
Arsenal (8) - Chelsea (A), Man U (H), West Ham (A), Spurs (A)
West Ham (6) - Chelsea (A), Arsenal (H), Man City (H)
Man Utd (7) - Liverpool (A), Arsenal (A), Chelsea (H)
Wolves (6) - Chelsea (A), Liverpool (A), Man City (H)

* (?) - Games left after this weekend.

claretandbluesky

I mean compared to the other teams we face Brentford is looking one of the easier matches, so it's an opportunity we need take.

steve

Well if Moyes was ever going to rest a player or two ,Cant see him doing it now after todays results

IronHerb

Nor should he.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Moyes isn't going to rest a full team, maybe he'd make 2 or 3 changes, 2 of which would be Fab and Coufal (who he may be available) and then possibly Antonio or 1 of the 3 attacking midfielders

Lukerz

I would rest Antonio but Moyes will go full strength which I still support.

EXETERHAMMER

Rest Antonio and Fornals. Start with Vlasic and Noble instead.

OldCastleSwift

Don't think we can afford to rest anyone. For the future of the club I think we need to ensure European football for next season, and with the results yesterday, today become a big opportunity to give ourselves every chance of top six again.

chicagohammer

However tempting it may be to rest Antonio, I think that following the results yesterday that he poses such a threat and simply has to play.

We have been presented with a real opportunity to gain a proper three points on our rivals which of course means that we will make a complete cods of it.

Loss but COYI