West Ham Vs Crystal Palace - Sun 3rd Dec - kick off 2pm
Another match this evening in the Europa which was very similar to recent matches in which the performance was poor and the amount of chances created can be counted on one hand, yet we still managed a result. In this match against Palace I will settle for that as they proved difficult for us last season and did the double over us. I think we will need a much stronger side than we managed to field this evening and can only hope that Bowen, Kudus and Antonio are back. Should they not be I would hope Cornet and Muamba will get some minutes again as we at least need to take the opportunity to provide them for these two when without usual starters. Muamba because he deserves his chance and Cornet because we need see if the player we signed and Burnley were really sad to lose is still in there. If he is it will be as good as a new signing.
I think Eze was injured for Palace and not sure if he will be fit or not, but lets hope he needs rest this one out. At least Zaha can no longer torment us!
Head says 1-1 heart says 2-0 to us, Soucek and a late penalty converted by Paquetta.
I think Eze was injured for Palace and not sure if he will be fit or not, but lets hope he needs rest this one out. At least Zaha can no longer torment us!
Head says 1-1 heart says 2-0 to us, Soucek and a late penalty converted by Paquetta.
Comments
Eze is definitely injured (ankle) as is DM/CM Cheick Doucoure (Achilles), both went off early in the second half against Luton.
On the flip side Michael Olise got his first start of the season against Luton after recovering from a hamstring injury which he picked up playing for the French U21s in June. He's scored two goals and provided 2 assists in 3 games against us.
Hodgson doesn't change his starting XI much, he's started the same back four for 12 out of 13 PL games.
Against Luton Eze was replaced by Jordan Ayew who'd started all 12 previous PL fixtures while Doucoure was replaced by Will Hughes who'd started the previous 8 so fairly likely they're going to be starting on Sunday
Best guess
Johnstone
Ward (c) Andersen Guehl Mitchell
Lerma Hughes
Olise Schlupp Ayew
Edouard
Sadly we will not be reunited with James Tomkins who is injured and has only made one appearance this season, a 4-2 away win against Plymouth in the Carabao Cup although he was captain.
Bizarrely the bookies have made Ings 12/5 favourite to score, He's scored 5 goals in 13 games against Palace but who knows
In the last two games Palace have conceded losing goals in the 83rd and 86th minutes
Odds on us winning in the last 10 minutes?
I assume that Areola, Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson, Alvarez, Soucek, Ward-Prowse and Paqueta will play, so that leaves two spaces to be taken by (hopefully) Bowen and Kudus. If one or both of them are unavailable then my preference would be that they are replaced by Mubama and Cornet. That said, I think Cornet is very unlikely to start, and I would imagine we'd be more likely to see Benrahma come in.
Areola
Coufal - Zouma - Aguerd - Emerson
Soucek - Alvarez - Ward-Prowse
Kudus - Cornet - Paqueta
I am not sure I would put Cornet up front however, especially after seeing the quality of that cross he put in for Soucek, every bit as good as Kudus cross the week before.
https://www.claretandhugh.info/hammers-fear-for-player-sickness-victims/
That's serious!
Areola
Coufal - Zouma - Aguerd - Emerson
Alvarez - Ward-Prowse
Kudus - Soucek - Paqueta
Mubama
I’m still not sure you need Alvarez in these sorts of games, but given him playing allows Soucek to push up & he is one of our top scorers, it makes sense to keep him in.
Last six home results:
West Ham 1-2 Palace
West Ham 2-2 Palace
West Ham 1-1 Palace
West Ham 1-2 Palace
West Ham 3-2 Palace
West Ham 1-1 Palace
Seems like a draw today is most likely outcome…
Subs: Fabiański, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Fornals, Benrahma, Cornet, Ings, Mubama
Zouma out, but Sowen, Kudus and Alvarez all start.
Another assist from Coufal.