⚽ West Ham Utd 1-1 Aston Villa (12/3/23)

[prophet:marginal]

This is the line up our opponents used last weekend, when beating Palace

Damian Martinez

Matty Cash
Ezri Konsa
Tyrone Mings
Lopera Alex Moreno

de Paulo Douglas Luiz
Boubacar Kamara
John McGinn
Emiliano Buendia
Jacob Ramsey

Ollie Watkins

I hear that Kamara was injured in a challenge that may have led to a dismissal for a Palace player and that he is definitely out.

Coutinho may be injured, too, given that he didn't even feature on the sub's bench last weekend.

If they win, that would be their first against us in 10 matches.

If we draw, we therefore go 10 unbeaten against them and, if we win we start to resemble 'their Brighton' with no fewer than 6 straight victories over the last three seasons (they might therefore be the first team we have doubled three seasons in a row).

I hope that a combination of lingering embarrassment (from last weekend) and just a flicker of renewed competition for places in the run in will set us fair again.

[SiamHammer]

Desperate for a win here

[Whufc06]

Areola

Kehrer
Zouma
Aguerd
Emerson

Rice

Lanzini
Paqueta

Bowen
Ings
Benrahma

[hammerman11]

Play like last night and we get stuffed. we won but aginst a poor team. hopefully we will up it a lot against this lot. we need a win and this is yet another must win game ! however if we do we could move significantly in the table as the teams around us have tough games;
bournemouth v liverpool
spurs v forest
leicester v chelsea
leeds v brighton
everton v brentford
palace v man city
man utd v southampton
newcastle v wolves

no doubt there will be a surprise but if all the results went our way this weekend and we somehow win we go 14th and one point behind wolves and palace . This is the weekend for us to make a move.
I hope coufal is back otherwise its kehrer at RB . doubt cornet will be ready for this one . maybe thursday night.

areola
coufal zouma augerd emerson
rice paqueta soucek
bowen ings benrahma

subs anang johnson ogbonna kehrer lanzini downes fornals scamacca antonio

harsh on antonio after two goals but ings is our best striker and last time he played scored 2 against PL opposition not euro farmers !

2-0 hammers bowen and ings., Ings are getting better !

COYI

[SiamHammer]

Ings played against Brighton yano

[Bucksexile]

Massive.

[stu1]

Areola

Kehrer
Zouma
Aguerd
Emerson

Rice

Lanzini
Paqueta

Bowen
Ings
Benrahma

I’d like to see this line up, although 50-50 on if we play Lanzini or Fornals. Realistically, I can’t see Moyes starting Lanzini, so hold a feint hope he picks Fornals as the number 10.

[funky chicken]

Assuming Coufal is still out…..

—————-———————-Areola—————————————

-Kehrer——Zouma—-Ogbonna——Aguerd——Emerson-

———————————Rice——-Lanzini——————————-

—————————————Fornals——————————————

——————————-Bowen——Ings————————————-

Subs: Anang, Johnson, Cresswell, Soucek, Downes, Paqueta, Benrahma, Cornet, Antonio, Scamacca.


I know I have 10 players on the bench instead of 9, but I genuinely can’t decide who should miss out! I imagine one of Antonio or Downes could miss out, depending on their injuries after last night’s game. Maybe Moyes will also take his time with Cornet.

I want to see us go back to the formation that gave us a better balance, and when we was starting to pick up results until Moyes threw the baby out of the bath water beyond the Forest game, which resulted in 7 goals conceded and 1 goal scored.

I want both fullbacks to push up really high. That centre half 3 should offer us more than enough protection. Lanzini is in the team to hopefully help us keep better possession of the ball. I also don’t think Paqueta has done quite enough in his last 3 appearances in all competitions. I imagine Moyes will stick with him for now though. Rice can also do more runs forward with the 3 centre halves behind him. We’re more fluid down the left in a back 5 too, in my opinion.

Shame Coufal probably won’t make it, so Kehrer will have to play by default, as I’m not sure Johnson can play wingback in a back 5. I think that was another reason Kehrer played last night, to get some match sharpness.

Fornals has to feature in this game. He loves playing well and scoring against this mob. And in this formation I want to see Bowen and Ings play closer together. They’ve already shown glimpses of a good understanding in the limited minutes they’ve had playing alongside each other.

Even Benrahma has had his moments against this lot, so I wouldn’t hold back bringing him off the bench.

[Puff Daddy]

Can't see us winning this, 2-0 loss coming, I'm afraid

[ads78]

Funky Chicken - I'd swap Antonio in for Bowen, but other than that would love to see us go with your lineup

[TommyHammer]

I'm feeling quite positive about this. However, if we did lose, I'm just thinking what would it actually take for them to give him the boot. Do our results in the Conference League really make up for the shower we have been in the PL?

[Lovejoy]

Villa will love it if we play Ings up top on his own. I’d play 442, although they are due a result against us so I fully expect 0-2.

Aerola
Kehrer Zouma Aguerd Emerson
Bowen Rice Downes Benrahma
Antonio Ings

[funky chicken]

Funky Chicken - I'd swap Antonio in for Bowen, but other than that would love to see us go with your lineup

I’m not sure if Antonio will be able to start 2 games in 4 days. Especially with that knock him picked up.

[jabbaglob123]

Ings and Scamacca up top Dave.

Do it.

[Puff Daddy]

Ings and Scamacca up top Dave.

Do it.

Absolutely no ****ing chance, of that, at all

[claretnblueglasses]

Our record against them added to the fact that our home form isn't too bad leads me to be cautiously confident about this one.

2-1, Ings and Benrahma to score.

[Bavarian_Hammer]

Hopefully we're not too afraid of Watkins, start attacking high up the pitch, press them and keep our shape at the back. I'd rather risk a few one on one's through the odd long ball then give them time and space on our wings. I'm really fed up with the passive, zone defending "style" we play deep in our own half. Most of the time our fullbacks are chasing their wingers because of the coverage, giving them way too much time for their next move. If we're set up the same way like yesterday, I reckon we'll lose. AEK didn't have the players to make more of the chances but bear in mind they had 14 corners.

If I could call the shots, I'd try the following for Villa:

-------------------Areola--------------------
Johnson----Aguerd----Oggy----Emerson
Bowen---Paqueta---Rice---Benrahma
------------Antonio---Ings-----------------

Aguerd to man mark Watkins, Oggy to make sure the line doesn't drop too deep and we keep pressuring Villa, Rice as the link between our defence and midfield with a more attacking orientated CM Paqueta for support. Bowen, Benrahma & Antonio to press while Ings drops to the 10 and is looking for scraps. I'd also like to see Cornet at some point but I guess he should be introduced slowly.

No idea if this setup works but I suppose we'd have enough quality to actually dictate the game and pressure them right from the start. Once legs are getting tired we substitute, there are plenty of options to chose from. If we concede we dust ourself off and go again. No parking the bus, not trying to keep it a draw and maybe snatch a late goal, bloody go for it

[Aztec Hammer]

I'm feeling quite positive about this. However, if we did lose, I'm just thinking what would it actually take for them to give him the boot. Do our results in the Conference League really make up for the shower we have been in the PL?

He isn't going anywhere. At this point the best thing is just to hope we can win our next three home games against Villa, Southampton and Newcastle. Doing that should see us safe and give us breathing room to really focus on the Conference.

Replacing him in the summer is the best we can hope for.

Well, winning the Conference and therefore not replacing him is the best. But you know what I mean.

[bonzosbeard]

Ings and Cornet.

2 nil to us

[ageing hammer]

If Coufal is out, Kehrer RB


—————-———————-Areola—————————————

---Coufal / Kehrer——Zouma—-—Aguerd——Emerson-

——————--Paqueta--—---——Rice————————————-

——————------———Fornals——————————————

—Bowen——-----------Ings—————————Benrahma-


Plenty decent options on bench for tired limbs later if needed : Antonio, Lanzini, Cornet, Oggie, Cresswell, Scamacca, Soucek, Downes, Johnson