West Ham (H) - Pre Match Thread

[mosssideblue]

To be dropped or rested, I think Pep has looked at fitness levels tonight and there's no doubting Dave is one of our fittest players. That's maybe the reason he's starting tonight

He's starting as he is much better than Foden

 

[pudge]

Victor Meldrew! :)

Townsend's one in a million has aged me ten fold.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Nice interview with Nasri and Vinnie. Loved the way Vinnie tried to send a message. “We’re up for this”.

 

[OntarioBlue]

Another big opportunity for Mahrez to raise the level of his game. I really want him to come good but tbh he has disappointed almost every time he has started.

Should be a good game tonight. West Ham starting with Anderson and Carroll shows they intend to attack which should open up space for us.

 

[ninjamonkey]

I dont think pep would throw the towel in on anyone who has only played sporadically.

I think the fact he's only played sporadically despite seemingly being fit all season is why he might cut his losses with him. Rotation is the norm here yet he barely gets a look in. I get it takes time to adapt to this team and he will get it if he's showing signs but I don't see the positives signs of slowly adapting like we've seen last season from the likes bernardo and laporte and even Zinchenko adapting to a new position, he's the only one I don't see any improvement from. Im hopeful he tears them apart tonight and proves me very wrong then I can come back and say it was all a ploy to get a reaction from him.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Mahtez's big chance!
I will be optimistic. I will be optimistic. I will be optimistic. I will...

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Another big opportunity for Mahrez to raise the level of his game. I really want him to come good but tbh he has disappointed almost every time he has started.

Should be a good game tonight. West Ham starting with Anderson and Carroll shows they intend to attack which should open up space for us.

Their aim will be to counter attack at pace. So we need to counter-counter attack fast too. None of the winning the ball back and then knocking about 10 passes together to allow the game to settle into its familiar shape again. If their counter attacks break down we need to be ready to spring one ourselves. Our counter attacking has looked shite for a while now, so improvements are needed tonight.

 

[Fordyboy46]

He's starting as he is much better than Foden

I hope he proves me utterly wrong tonight mate, these posts usually do have a habit of coming back to bite me on the arse.

 

[paulchapo]

Another big opportunity for Mahrez to raise the level of his game. I really want him to come good but tbh he has disappointed almost every time he has started.

Should be a good game tonight. West Ham starting with Anderson and Carroll shows they intend to attack which should open up space for us.

We are coming to the point where I think a decision has to be made on Mahrez. He has underwhelmed in almost every game, even against lower league opposition. Sometimes a top player just doesn't work at another club. Maybe a swap for Chilwell in the summer?

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Due to Silva and De Bruyne's recent poor form I think we will suffer without Bernardo's workrate tonight unless they rediscover it. Mahrez will slow us down going forward too. Hopefully we have enough to win.

yeah agreed,