PSF: Racing Club de Lens 0-0 West Ham Utd (30/7/22)

[bubbles1966]

Final dress rehearsal.

They finished 8th in ligue 1 last year, but just one point off 6th.

Who starts?

[funky chicken]

The team that’ll start against Man City will probably play in this game.

Assuming no further signings are made before this weekend and the injured players not being quite ready yet, this would be my team:

———————————-Areola—————————————-

-Coufal————-Zouma——Diop——————Johnson-

————————-Soucek——Rice———————————-

——————-—————Lanzini—————————————-

-Bowen——————-Antonio————————Fornals-


Subs: Fabianski, Ashby, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Coventry, Downes, Masuaku, Vlasic, Benrahma.

In other words, other than the goalkeeper and the left hand side of the defence it’s the exact same team that drew 2-2 with Man City just over 2 months ago!

In reality I think Fab will start and Cresswell will play. It’s the centre half who will partner Zouma that is the question mark at the moment.

[hammerman11]

areola
coufal zouma diop crsswell
rice soucek kostic
bowen antonio fornals

subs fabianski johnson ashby longello bapstiste downes lanzini benrahma scamacca

thomas traore zielinski joing soon after this game

COYI

[1895Hammer]

How are people getting to this, train times don’t look great and the Dover border delays look less than appealing ?

[Lord Zoltan]

Diop isn't playing, Dawson will be.

Diop won't even be here.

[Toulouse_Iron]

Always had a bit of a soft spor for Lens. Proper stadium which they fill regularly and the capacity of which is higher than the population of the town itself!
Have a good time ladies and gentlemen.

[west ham15]

How are people getting to this, train times don’t look great and the Dover border delays look less than appealing ?

Eurostar Friday afternoon and hotel is about 10 min walk to the ground

[HammerMan2004]

Saw a report yesterday that Dawson would've played against Luton if it were a league game. Whilst he has a bit of a thigh knock he was actually granted compassionate leave as his boy was unwell. You'd think he would be guaranteed to get some minutes this weekend.

In an ideal world, a couple of new boys will get some time towards the end of the game.

Other than that, we should be starting this with the XI that will start against Man City.

[sutts07]

Our starting XI for this (and the Man City game) will be;

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

Possible that Johnson might start.

The exact same XI that started the final game of last season away at Brighton (Johnson came on as a sub that day).
Great summer from the recruitment team!

We will draw 1-1 with Antonio missing a one on one.

[Tristan Shout]

I'd take seko fofana from lens, hopefully moyes will be watching him

[Misko]

Lens are normally an enjoyable side to watch. Intensity and direct attacking. They lost 2 of their main players, Doucouré (Palace) and the RWB Clauss (Marseille). They should be playing a back 3, probably a 343 according to the last games. They are having a nice pre season campaign, 1 draw and 4 victories, the last one against Inter (1-0).

Among the players to watch, there obviously is Seko Fofana, who was probably their best player last year, and their captain. The Argentinian CB, Facundo Medina, is also a good player, agressive and comfortable with the ball, but he may be struggling in the air against West Ham. There is also a nice little player in the young Portuguese AM Costa, quick, skilled and an eye for the through passes. They also recruited a Belgian striker, Loïs Openda, who is said to be promising, but I don't know anything about him.

The fans are great, normally very friendly and totally dedicated to their team. The ones going there should have a nice experience there.

[WestSamToo]

I'd take seko fofana from lens, hopefully moyes will be watching him

To be fair, this is our standard scouting tactic. Saves on transport costs.

[Reg Stretch]

The team that’ll start against Man City will probably play in this game.

Assuming no further signings are made before this weekend and the injured players not being quite ready yet, this would be my team:

———————————-Areola—————————————-

-Coufal————-Zouma——Diop——————Johnson-

————————-Soucek——Rice———————————-

——————-—————Lanzini—————————————-

-Bowen——————-Antonio————————Fornals-


Subs: Fabianski, Ashby, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Coventry, Downes, Masuaku, Vlasic, Benrahma.

In other words, other than the goalkeeper and the left hand side of the defence it’s the exact same team that drew 2-2 with Man City just over 2 months ago!

In reality I think Fab will start and Cresswell will play. It’s the centre half who will partner Zouma that is the question mark at the moment.

Looks like we’ve had a busy summer in the transfer market

[the pink palermo]

I really wanted to go to this, and paid in good faith for a ticket.

The game is on Saturday, no ticket has arrived.

All getting a bit late to sort travel out.

No point was accrued for this match.

[Burnley Hammer]

In other words, other than the goalkeeper and the left hand side of the defence it’s the exact same team that drew 2-2 with Man City just over 2 months ago!

Not necessarily a bad thing. We had a perfectly good team last season until fatigue set in, and we won't have the problem of things being disrupted by new players who haven't yet built an understanding with their team-mates. Plenty of time after that for new signings to be introduced. One of my biggest concerns at the moment is Zouma. He didn't look happy at all against Luton. Are the boos wearing him down?

[Chavs]

I really wanted to go to this, and paid in good faith for a ticket.

The game is on Saturday, no ticket has arrived.

All getting a bit late to sort travel out.

No point was accrued for this match.

Talk to me about your travel plans - i have a late urge - i want to use your costings to gauge how much i might put the effort in

[martin allen fan club]

Best way to travel is by car on Ferry from newhaven into Dieppe I reckon . Sooo easy via newhaven

[west ham15]

We will need to collect match tickets in France - confirmed

[ironilunga]

In an ideal world, a couple of new boys will get some time towards the end of the game.

Im not a particularly superstitious person (I am) but my fragile West Ham happometer could not take another pre-season injury to a new signing.

Scamacca can have the fitness of Rick Walker for all I care, just get him to the first day of the season uninjured.

[Chavs]

Best way to travel is by car on Ferry from newhaven into Dieppe I reckon . Sooo easy via newhaven

£617

Will long this off until the playoff game i think