EL: Rapid Wien 0-2 West Ham Utd (25/11/21)

[Puff Daddy]

I thought nobody's allowed out in Austria. How come this match is going ahead ?

[London Fields Hammer]

I thought nobody's allowed out in Austria. How come this match is going ahead ?

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[BobbyMooreLower]

Every EL match thread so far has had several calls for Masuaku LW.

I think he’s played there once in his West Ham career and that was about 4 years ago

[roblo]

I think he’s played there once in his West Ham career and that was about 4 years ago

I thought he played high up on the left in the first Europa game?

[El brooko79]

I thought he played high up on the left in the first Europa game?

Started wide left forward vs both Man Utd and Man City in the cups also.

Agree in principle he doesn't have the end product to play further forward.

But don't think we should switch to a back 5 just to fit him in.
For now, getting fitness in Europe think he is fine there

[Aztec Hammer]

Every EL match thread so far has had several calls for Masuaku LW.

I think he’s played there once in his West Ham career and that was about 4 years ago

Unless my memory is deceiving me, I think he played LW against Man City in the Cup the other week.

[Clacton-ammer]

Strong ish team to get the Euro league done, Man C is always a free shot really, if we suffer in that game then so be it.

[hammerman11]

need to rest a few especially rice soucek antonio fornals cresswell !

areola
coufal dawson diop johnson
kral noble lanzini masuaka
vlasic yarmolenko

subs randolph baptiste longello rice oxo-flex antonio bowen

a draw will suffice , we need to manage next weeks games against city,brighton and chelsea !

[roblo]

Started wide left forward vs both Man Utd and Man City in the cups also.

OK nice. Knew it was an evening game!

[Aztec Hammer]

need to rest a few especially rice soucek antonio fornals cresswell !

areola
coufal dawson diop johnson
kral noble lanzini masuaka
vlasic yarmolenko

subs randolph baptiste longello rice oxo-flex antonio bowen

a draw will suffice , we need to manage next weeks games against city,brighton and chelsea !

Why would a draw suffice when that would potentially mean we would go into the final game at risk of finishing 2nd if Zagreb beat us?

[El brooko79]

If Genk beat Zagreb we win the group whatever?
If Genk get a draw we only need 1 point from 2 games to win the group?

[Aztec Hammer]

If Genk beat Zagreb we win the group whatever?
If Genk get a draw we only need 1 point from 2 games to win the group?

Correct.

It’s in our best interests (obviously) to just go and win this game tomorrow. Then we don’t have to think about Europe again until March.

I’m sure the players can go and get the job done within an hour or so without risking their fitness much. They’re professionals. Could even argue they need to play themselves back into form after that poor show at Wolves.

[hammerman11]

still think rice and soucek need a rest, plus we need cresswell and antonio fully rested. If only we had another striker and left back !

[WestHamLyallStyle]

Correct.

It’s in our best interests (obviously) to just go and win this game tomorrow. Then we don’t have to think about Europe again until March.

I’m sure the players can go and get the job done within an hour or so without risking their fitness much. They’re professionals. Could even argue they need to play themselves back into form after that poor show at Wolves.

I think we need to start with our best available team and if things go well then rest them as opposed to put out a ‘ select 11 ‘ and get the big guns on if it goes bent. This is a big game.

[Puff Daddy]

I think we need to start with our best available team and if things go well then rest them as opposed to put out a ‘ select 11 ‘ and get the big guns on if it goes bent. This is a big game.

I get your point, I really do, but we need to keep our main players as fresh as we can for Sunday

[hammerman11]

Agree we need the best fresh team for Sunday Wednesday and Saturday next week

[Aztec Hammer]

I get your point, I really do, but we need to keep our main players as fresh as we can for Sunday

We need to qualify for the last 16 of the Europa. Much stranger things have happened in football than Rapid Vienna beating a weakened West Ham team in Austria, and then Dinamo Zagreb turning a nervous West Ham over at an edgy London Stadium.

Let's not get too arrogant. You've had us winning every game recently and with good reason, as we almost did so, but Wolves very sharply humbled us didn't they? Our main players need to get the job done tomorrow and get back into form whilst they're at it.

[WestHamLyallStyle]

Who would’ve thought we’d be discussing whether to put our best team out in a Europa League match against Rapid Vienna ? Ok they’re not Bayern Munich but if we start badly like we did against Genk and somehow contrive to not win the group, our season may start to unravel.

[Puff Daddy]

We need to qualify for the last 16 of the Europa. Much stranger things have happened in football than Rapid Vienna beating a weakened West Ham team in Austria, and then Dinamo Zagreb turning a nervous West Ham over at an edgy London Stadium.

Let's not get too arrogant. You've had us winning every game recently and with good reason, as we almost did so, but Wolves very sharply humbled us didn't they? Our main players need to get the job done tomorrow and get back into form whilst they're at it.

No matter who we play, I always think we'll win and we'll beat this lot too. So much so, I think we can keep our best eleven back for this and still win

[WestHamLyallStyle]

Let’s not forget how hard the players and management fought to get into Europe.
Respect the competition and the opposition.
If anybody says they’re not up to it, ok, but to fight so hard to get into a tournament that some would relegate behind the league doesn’t make sense to me.