West Ham (A) - Sun 15th May, 14:00 (BST) | Pre-Match Thread

[lionheart]

Slightly off topic but I have just noticed that Aston Villa have to play next Thursday against a fighting Burnley only a few days before our final game of the season against them on the Sunday. It makes me feel much more relaxed about the title outcome.

 

[Zenmanc]

Rodri made a couple of errors that showed he is not a proper centre half

Glad he plays defensive mid then.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I don’t see the young lads matching up to Antonio Physically, Rodri can but does get caught on the turn, Eddie will have to be on his toes, like last night we really have to defend set pieces very well, we gave one or two soft free kicks away in wide areas which infuriated Pep

Antonio is indeed a physical forward and would certainly give our youngsters a fright or two, but we're down to our defensive arse bones now and don't have many options left. If Laporte is out injured it looks like Pep will have to decide on Rodri in defence or one of the kids. Playing Rodri in his usual position will offer us better protection of the back 4 than us playing Gundogan there i think.

 

[Gray]

Get Laporte in a barrel of ice.

 

[Wafty Cranker]

He isn’t in our PL squad

I think he’s in the U21 PL squad.

 

[Gray]

West Ham league results at home in 2022.

• Norwich (W) 2-0
• Leeds (L) 2-3
• Watford (W) 1-0
• Newcastle (D) 1-1
• Wolves (W) 1-0
• Villa (W) 2-1
• Everton (W) 2-1
• Burnley (D) 1-1
• Arsenal (L) 1-2

A motley bunch of team includes 7 of the current bottom 9 teams only Wolves (8th) and Arsenal (4th) are in the top half of the table.

They do not concede many but also have never managed more than 2 goals in their favour.

If Pep gets a defence together in training before the game on Sunday (almost 4 days) then we should definitely get some sort of favourable result.

 

[Plain Speaking]

Referee: Anthony Taylor. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn. Fourth official: Graham Scott. VAR: John Brooks. Assistant VAR: Simon Long

West Ham in direct competition with the rags for 6th place, this game is the key game. This will be like a cup final for both teams. Tackles will be flying in by the home side encouraged by Moyes and the crowd. We can't afford any more injuries. We need a strong performance from the officials.

 

[BringBackSwales]

Taylor, fuck

 

[Plain Speaking]

He isn’t in our PL squad

Can we apply for an emergency exemption to register him or someone else, like we have seen for goalkeepers? We have all 4 centrebacks plus Walker and ferny with injury concerns, probably all but Ake unfit? This injury crisis could decide the pl title?

Edit: I have googled the answer they tightened up the rules for sporting integrity and the only first team player emergency loans seem to be for goalkeepers under the following circumstances:

"Clubs are permitted to sign a goalkeeper on a seven-day ‘emergency loan’ basis if they do not have a senior goalkeeper that has made five first-team apps

Clubs will be able to recall a goalkeeper at 24 hours’ notice from a loan at another club if they are unable to field two fit goalkeepers in their 18-man matchday squad."

 

[Eric Hitchmough]

Taylor, fuck

Hopefully he hates the Dippers as much as he hates us