Match Day Thread West Ham United vs Southampton 25/09/2016 4pm Kick-off

Feel a bit sorry for Cuco, but spot on team for me. Great to see Hesketh involved again.

 

Would have preferred Cuco to Cedric but plenty of options on the bench if needed
Happy and confident

 

I like that team a lot. Same as what I'd have picked except Long for Redmond.

 

West ham are looking strong up front.

 

Saints fielding strong side. Just watched Tadic interview....always looks like he is falling asleep.

 

7 minutes late I'm afraid!

 

Just noticed that our next three games are against Ham, Beer, and some cheese. I must be hungry or summink.

 

Listening to talkSport and their expert has just read out our team and it looks like we are playing three at the back, VVD at defensive midfielder, a flat five midfield and Austin up front by himself.....t**t!!!!!!!!

 

Álvaro Arbeloa Coca (age 33) starting his first game at right back - run him ragged Dusan / Nathan!

 

Left back.

 

You must have posted it in the time it took me to find it on Twitter!

 

even better then cos I think he's a right back

 

He is, and the right back is a midfielder.

 

I think he's playing at LB as, despite every man and his dog seeing our weakness both LB and RB, our manager and chairmen seemed more interested in paying 26m for a poor mans Carlton Cole, just so they could say they spent 26m on a striker.
I'll be happy with a 0-0 draw, but I can't see our chuckle brother defence keeping Austin out after what Sullivan said about him last year.

 

Whilst I am very pleased to see Hojbjerg back in the starting XI, I am a little disappointed to se Clasie drop out. I have been impressed with him in his fleeting appearances this season, and part of doesn't think it's a coincidence that Romeu's best two games for us this season have come when Clasie has started in the midfield too. I'd love at some point to see a midfield with all three starting.

Ultimately though, squad rotation is more important to us this season than ever. So given that Clasie was the only 'regular' starter in midweek, and another European game awaits us in a few days, I guess it's no surprise that it's Clasie who misses out today.

Fingers crossed that West Ham keep Antonio on their right hand side.

 

Puel says "It's important" a lot.

 

Decent looking midfield/forwards for them, but Nordtveit, Reid, Ogbonna, Arbeloa we could be having a field day on the counter attack/quick breaks.

We need to keep the ball wide, attack the fullbacks, and force Payet/Antonio to track back. Central areas are going to be congested.

As per usual request - Romeu to snap Noble in half.

 

If their [West Ham] attackers don't track back they may struggle defensively if we start on the front foot, however like for early goals that we conceded in the season if our fullbacks are required to provide width we cannot lose the ball when they are high up the pitch or we will be punished.

Hopefully it does not happen, but who do we think would deputise at left back if Bertrand went off?!