Morning all. West ham fan, and I come in peace! Firstly, thanks to airbus for posting a link to this thread over on knees up mother brown... you'll find me on there, same username. Thanks for having me on here.
This match is a huge test for us...your team is far and away the best in the league this season, and deserve to win it. On the occasions I have watched your games I have been seriously impressed.
For us hammers, this season is nothing short of a revelation. Pre lock down last season we looked doomed...post lock down we did enough to stay up, just, and if I'm honest I was expecting another season of struggle. Apart from the loss against Newcastle (ffs) and average performances against Brighton and a spirited Fulham, we've played some good stuff and massively exceeded all expectations. This pleases me greatly and to be able to say we are safe from relegation in February is unaccustomed but very welcome indeed!
So... here's a run down of our team as I see it: Fabiański is a class keeper, although slightly on the wane. He has pulled off some great saves, and has a presence that settles defenders. Coufal - hard working, likes to get forward and will run through a wall for the team, still has Grealish somewhere in his back pocket! Dawson - written off at Watford, but has rediscovered his game under Moyes and is a huge presence at the back for us. Diop - young, athletic, getting his confidence back but needs to learn to jump...crosses into the box tend to confuse him and his unwillingness to leave terra firma can lead to soft goals being conceeded. Cresswell - experienced, wand of a left peg, great passer and good with dead balls but lacks pace. We really miss Ogbonna...massive loss for us, but we are coping ok without him.
Rice and Soucek - for me, and clearly I'm biased, this is one of the best DM combos in the league. Both are just awesome players who compliment each other well, get all over the pitch, and work so hard for the team.
Lingard, Bowen, Fornals, Lanzini, Benrahma...perm any three from five, but it hasn't clicked yet. I like Lingard, he seems to have slotted straight in and looks like a class act on the pitch. Lanzini looks a spent force after his injury...I am hoping he can rediscover his past form but has lost a yard of pace. Bowen - hard working, always looks to get forward but his passing and decision making are poor. Benrahma - see Bowen but with more step overs. Fornals - does everything asked of him, but it all goes to pieces when he gets in the box...surprised he hasn't been nicknamed waddingtons yet!
Antonio - can be unplayable, but injury prone. I expect his ham strings to ping at any point during every match!
I'm looking forward to this game, and I'd like to see us be competitive and give it a proper go, unlike the Liverpool match where we just rolled over. I'm confident and hopeful but I think you have too much for us, but despite expecting to see a 2-0 win for you, I'm gonna go with a thrilling (for us anyway!) 2-2 draw.
Good luck, and I wish your fine club nothing but success...except for Saturday of course!
