West Ham (a) Pre-Match Thread (League)

[mosssideblue]

When the team wins, I would prefer to keep the same formation.

I don't think we need to rest anyone, because 4 days are enough for them to rest & recover.

Not every opponent is the same though. That's why managers change things.

 

[citytill1die84]

Bravo
Sagna
Otamendi
Stones
Kolarov
Dihno
DeBryune
Silva
Sane
Sterling
Jesus.

That's what Pep will do.

Sttategically you should not play a 33 year old twice in 5 days. So Yaya is out for me.

Bravo is the league keeper. So Bravo back in. His luck should improve.

Kompany out for Otamendi. And Clichy for Stones. Kolarov plays LB. Not ideal, but no player we currently have is ideal at leftback. Maybe Sane, but we would not play him there right now.

Midfield and attack picks itself. Absent Aguero, you downgrade Iheanacho to the bench and start the more expensive 3. Iheanacho will leave us in the end. There simply is no opportunity for growth here.

I'll wish him well when that time comes. But for now he is the #6 guy in a 7 player rotation for 3 spots. That assumes our fake attacking players (Silva and DeBryune) don't get pushed into those roles in other circumstances. Which they sometimes do. So really he may be the joint 8th option for a 3 player spot.

I simply don't like his chances at City. Anyway back to the bench

Yaya, Nacho, Kompany, Sagna, Nolito, Caballero Garcia.

You're Yaya comment is bollocks mate 33 or not he's performing at a high standard and he's still got enough in the engine room to play twice in 5 days.

Maybe Sane at LB as well **** me

 

[gkmcfc]

Amazing the difference a year makes seeing so many wanting Cabellero to start! Who'd have thought it!

 

[Blue Smarties]

Jesus brace.

 

[City_Sean]

Bravo
Zaba
Stones
Otamendi
Kolarov
Dinho
KDB
Silva
Sane
Sterling
Jesus

Press West Ham as high up the pitch as possible, make the pitch seem as wide as possible and attack their fullbacks.

West Ham 1-3 City.

 

[TonyM]

I'd place Sagna and Zabba as the full backs. They could even switch during the game if they like.

(As much as I can't believe I rate Caballero as our best goalkeeer, I can't believe I rate Sagna as our bedt fullback...a season or so back I would barely rate either above amateur level. That said if it takes forever to settle ten it's not worth the wait and we should act quicker...argument for another day).

 

[supercity88]

Usually I'd always have Fernandinho in the starting XI but am finding it difficult to shoe horn him into the team on Wednesday. Presumably De Bruyne will start, having been rested on Saturday, and Toure and Silva deserve to start on merit.

Fernandinho's indiscipline has cost us his services for seven domestic games already this season, so he shouldn't just walk straight into the starting line-up at the expense of others.

I completely agree. I thought Delph played really well. He's not anywhere near as good as Ferny on the ball, he's not the most intelligent footballer and not technically the best, but for his first start in months he was exactly what we've lacked - an absolute running machine in the centre of the pitch. He can get up and down all day and in doing so allows Yaya to sit and pull the strings, and Silva float into space trying to get on the ball.

Ferny is a class player but hasn't lived up to the hype Pep placed on him at the start of the season, whether Pep thinks Delph can handle another start is the key question. If not, I'd give Fernando a game because again he'll help keep the side more balanced. From the Palace game I took four main things; Clichy is absolute shite now and rarely anything other than a liability unfortunately; we're much more balanced when it's Yaya, Silva/De Bruyne and a Delph/Fernando/Ferny not the Yaya, Silva, De Bruyne combination; Kompany is a God; Jesus is his son!

 

[Hungarian blue]

I completely agree. I thought Delph played really well. He's not anywhere near as good as Ferny on the ball, he's not the most intelligent footballer and not technically the best, but for his first start in months he was exactly what we've lacked - an absolute running machine in the centre of the pitch. He can get up and down all day and in doing so allows Yaya to sit and pull the strings, and Silva float into space trying to get on the ball.

With all that said though, I don't think Delph will start another game in 3 days after being out of the team for so long, and Yaya has been used a lot too at an 'advanced' age, so I'd be surprised if Fernandinho doesn't start this. Especially as Pep quite rates him obviously (and rightly so).

 

[Tevez City]

We beat west ham 5-0 in cup then played same team and got beaten by Everton 4-0??

You have a point.

 

[Tevez City]

Not every opponent is the same though. That's why managers change things.

Chelsea made less changes during the season than us, and they could be the most stable team in terms of formation & selection.