Right, we go again. FA Cup this time. Time to give others a start? Garnacho, Elanga, Sabitzer, Malacia. Just reading around it looks like Shaw and Fred will be rested having played all 8 games in Feb. May well rest Varane as well. West Ham have their injury doubts. Fabianski is out. Kurt Zouma could be. Danny Ings cup tied.
Ings being cup tied will go a long way to changing some of the defence without too much worry. Don't think Bruno has missed a game all season?, he could be due a rest on the bench.
well would be a surprise if West Ham don't prioritise the league so would expect a much changed team from them .
Tbh I was waiting for @Big Ern to come on and confirm this. And have a pop at De Gea. And call us all ****s.
No room for complacency even though the FA cup is not a priority for West Ham and the RS match looms large. The hammers won’t be easy . I would rest Bruno too but with the absence of Eriksen no other creative option available. But got a feeling that ETH won’t make many significant changes to a winning team.
I think that a 'second string' first eleven could be played tonight, and should be. Starting eleven of de gea Dalot Lindelof Maguire Malacia Sabitzer McTominey Mainoo Sancho Weghorst Garnacho All would welcome some proper game time, giving key players a rest after the final and prior to Sunday. Out of that, it's only De Gea and Sancho I'd personally say is a 1st eleven starter. All the big boys can get a run out later in the game if need be and we need to close the game out. Maybe Bruno should start ahead of Mainoo though?
Hope you are wrong. This is a truly second string side and would provide the Whammers with an massive early psychological boost. I’d be most surprised if he played Maguire with Lindelof. Surely only one of them with either Varane or Martinez. Again that midfield is completely untried. Casemiro should at least start and can be replaced at half time. only a few minutes before we find out. EDIT: Bloody hell. You are not far off. No martinez no Varane no Casemiro no rashford. We are ****ed…
Not a great game. Great end to the game though lol. West Ham were up for it, so fair play to them. The mentality and belief in our best players is immense atm. It's like, once they come on they know they'll win the game. Q/F against Fulham will be another tough game.
Fulham are in better form than West Ham. Any taking them lightly will be severely punished. We’ve been lucky to get a result tonight. Yes the West Ham goal was unfortunate but our equaliser was a fortunate own goal for us. And that equaliser just killed them. Another home tie. Win it we’re in the semis, with City the main barrier to the trophy.
Aye Fulham are looking really good. And they'll take the cup run seriously as they'll fancy their chances of winning it. I just looked and the game's on 18th March after the Betis 2nd leg. Bloody hell games coming thick and fast. Love it Why has the Brighton game after been postponed? Looks like we don't play for 2 weeks after the Fulham game.
Me too. Sign that the team is doing well so can’t and shouldn’t complain. ETH public stance in interviews is spot on. He says he loves it and that the players thrive on it. So removing a potential excuse for not performing. Key matches coming up in the league.
One of the things that was made clear in last night’s gamble was that the defensive partnership of Maguire/Lindelof is a million miles from Varane/Martinez. The ETH system is completely unsuited to the former, who provided a slow hesitant build up from the back. Too much passing sideways , hesitancy in finding the forward pass, long penetrating opportunities ignored. As soon as Martinez was introduced there was an instant improvement with the ball moving faster to the front players. last night confirmed that Maguire can only be a bench player for us, playing the last 15-10 minutes to protect a lead. Same as Lindelof.
