Big guns rested as Moyes goes experimental!

With West ham way out front in their Europa Conference group after three straight wins, any decent result tonight essentially nails down a last 16 spot. 

With that in mind Moysie has decided to start with an unusual line up where our fringe players get the chance to strut their stuff.

There's no Rice, Zouma, Soucek, Dawson, Antonio or Scamacca, with a back line of Coufal, Oggy, Johnson and Cresswell. Emerson may make it a back five?

In Midfielld its Lanzini, Downes and Pacqueta. Benrahma and Bowen are up front - presumably with Bowen leading the line.

It's a side of ballers but you'd have to feel nervy if Anderkecht can get corners - quite likely given their impressive performance in last week's game. 

We can expect an open game and a high scoring encounter!

It's pretty experimental looking but we have plenty of muscle on the bench of it goes wrong.

Let's do this!!!

Starting XI: Areola, Emerson, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Johnson, Coufal, Downes, Lanzini, Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma

Subs: Randolph (GK), Hegyi (GK), Dawson, Potts, Scarles, Rice, Souček, Forson, Coventry, Fornals, Scamacca

Hammers VARy VARy lucky in overcoming unlucky Fulham

Wow! They say fortune balances out over time.  Hammers fans have felt very hard done by in recent seasons with a host of dodgy VAR decisions robbing them of crucial points in their annual European quest.

Not so today as Moyes' men enjoyed three close calls to overturn Fulham's early strike and run out 3-1 winners in a competitive clash.

First up, West ham were gifted a soft penalty after some run of the mills precorner antics where Craig Dawson hit the deck and the ref pointed to the spot!

Then, Gianluca Scamacca deftly lobbed the keeper but it appeared that the ball had (perhaps) brushed off his hand before falling to his foot. After a prolonged VAR break the goal stood!

Then in stoppage time Michail Antonio pushed past a flimsy Fulham defence but also seemed to control the ball with his hand. 

In the end, it's a valuable win and we are up to 13th with our first back to back Premiership wins in yonks and three wins in a week!

Poor Fulham though - in all honesty, they looked like a decent Premiership outfit and our money is on them staying well clear of relegation troubles as the season progresses.

COYI!!!

Hammers Ready To Nail Fulham

Ahoy! David Moyes was unusually upbeat in his prematch interview as he indicated that he believes his squad are finally starting to click. 

He has gone for Scamacca up front today - of note the Hammers have won all six games where the Italian has started this season.

Pablo Fornals gets the nod ahead of Benrahma. Flynn Downes is on the bench despite his recent strong showings. 

Antonio is ready to pummel the visitors, presumably from the 70 minute mark but if needed perhaps Moyes might go for the Antonio-Scamacca combo up front that many Hammers are dreaming about.

Fulham are without Mitrovic. Diop is on the bench. Luis Boa Morte is assistant coach for Fulham these days. 

It should be a cracker!

West Ham United Starting XI: Lukasz Fabianski; Thilo Kehrer, Craig Dawson, Kurt Zouma, Aaron Cresswell; Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek; Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Pablo Fornals; Gianluca Scamacca.

Subs: Areola (GK), Ogbonna, Johnson, Coufal, Emerson, Downes, Lanzini, Benrahma, Antonio

Five things we can take from Hammers win in Anderlecht

West ham took full control of their Europa conference last night with a classy win against a feisty Anderlecht side. David Moyes will be delighted with the 1-0 win which highlighted many positives about the current squad at his disposal. Here are five thoughts to cheer Hammers fans;

1. This is a quality squad - starting with almost his b-side, Moyes was still able to field a side brimming with talent and experience that was as good as most starting line ups we have had over the past 20 years!  Being able to leave Rice, Soucek, Scamacca, Paqueta, Zouma, Kehrer, Cresswell, Fabianski and Fornals on the bench says it all. Despite all the absences, the Hammers played with fluency and largely dominated a decent Anderlecht side on their own turf. The arrival of Rice, Paqueta and Scamacca inevitably tilted the game towards the Hammers and the 1-0 win was well deserved. Moysie certainly has plenty of options right now.

2. Flynn Downes is a fantastic addition to the squad. Calm on the ball, great positioning sense and an eye for a gap, he adds fluency to the midfield. He doesn't have the physical presence of Tomas Soucek but brings plenty of quality to the side in every other department. The one remaining unknown is whether he has a decent shot in him? Either way, he has been a great acquisition and will inevitably play an increasingly important role in the side as the season progresses.

3. Paqueta has that creative ingredient that has been missing at the club in recent years. He is understandably taking time to settle in, but sees things others are oblivious to and is no wilting violet in the physical stakes. His through ball for Scamacca's goal was classy while the take down with his back foot was audacious! He looks a big step up from Lanzini and once he gets a few goals will surely start to have a major influence on games. 

4. Scamacca is the hitman we have yearned for since Arnie departed. A big physical presence, neat on the ball, hungry in action and, most importantly, he shoots on sight with great precision. The thought of pairing him up front with Antonio when we want to terrorise opposition is a mouthwatering prospect!

5. Areola is ready to push Fabianski for the starting berth. Last night highlighted how European action can exercise a squad that has true depth - this is our first time to approach European action without the fear of exhausting our squad and it keeps our fringe players active and happy. Areola's save at the end was superb but also, his distribution from kick outs is precise. 

Happy days - we are firmly in control of our European journey and now it's time to translate all this potential into Premiership points!

COYI!!!

Reasons to be cheerful: Five things we learned from the Wolves match

Hammers fans will be hoping that yesterday's much needed win over Wolves signals that our new squad is finally starting to gel. Overall, the signs were certainly positive and at VERYWESTHAM we noted five reasons to be cheerful.

1. Scamacca looks the real deal. Aggressive, quick, good in the air and willing to shoot on sight, the lad has the skillset managers dream of. Still only 23, he has lots to learn but after a frustrating period where he was fighting of a virus, his first Premiership goal looks likely to open a floodgate. The skill involved in his goal should not be underestimated. He looks like Arnie without the churlishness. 

2. Kehrer is a top class player - calm on the ball, intelligent in defence and adaptable across the back line. Apparently he has leadership presence in the dressing room too! Over time he may well even challenge Soucek for the second central midfield berth! What a bargain at £10m! Coufal has struggled since he was needlessly kneed in the groin by Matic and maybe a break is needed - with Kehrer, Johnson and Coufal (and Ashby?) Available to play at RB we have strength in depth. And let's not forget that Antonio can play there too (just kidding!).

3. Soucek played his best Hammers game in a long time - better on the ball (i.e. quicker) and he was excellent in defence. Let's hope he can get to the level he was at 12 months ago - if so, we will likely go on a winning run.

4. With Bowen it was only a matter of time before things clicked back into gear. He rides the waves with his abrasive style and that can be frustrating if its only slightly off, but on form it is almost unmarkable! He's off the mark and we know what's coming next - with Fulham, Southampton and Liverpool over the next few games we can push on.

5. Paqueta is slowly getting to grips with the Premiership - it takes time but his attitude is exemplary and in all honesty a different ref would have given him 4 or 5 extra free kicks yesterday. 

So, the Hammers are out of the bottom three and firmly looking up - a decent haul over the next few games and we will be back on the edge of European places - you know it makes sense!

COYI!!!

Moyes ready to stake the heart of Dracula's boys!

Ok, it's a bit corny but on the long trip from the West of Ireland for tonight's action you get to watching a shed load of footy clips. The ' stake to the heart' quote comes from a clip of Middlesboro's goal against Steau in a UEFA cup tie for 30 odd years ago. 

Steaua were a big scalp back then, but as they visit London tonight its the Hammers who are the favourites with their expensive squad and stadium. 

David Moyes has opted to use the game to test the depth of his squad and gives valuable game time to Cornet, Scamacca, Cornet, Palmieri, Ogbonna and Areola. It's a decent attacking unit and after brushing aside Viborg 6-1 in the qualifying round we are ready to play some ball!

It's a huge night for Flynn Downes as he makes his first start for the club. 

Steaua are no fools and will be looking to keep the game tight and notch some points on the board, while Moyes will want to nail down a commanding win to take control of the group. 

Paqueta, Zouma, Fornals, Bowen and Antonio all wait on the bench in case they are needed. Dawson returns to the squad. 

It's a brilliant atmosphere around the ground!

Anyone for 3-1???

West Ham Starting XI : Alphonse Areola, Vladimir Coufal, Thilo Kehrer, Angelo Ogbonna, Emerson Palmieri, Flynn Downes, Declan Rice, Said Benrahma, Manuel Lanzini, Maxwel Cornet, Gianluca Scamacca

Hammers Ready to Rock Chelsea as Paqueta Starts

David Moyes' men travel across London to Stamford Bridge to face an out of sorts Chelsea today.  Having lost 3 of their last four, Tuchel's side desperately need a result, while the Hammers have started to click in their last two games. 

Gianluca Scamacca is still out with an illness, so Michail Antonio agsin leads the line after his tremendous MOTM performance against Spurs in midweek. Lucas Paqueta starts as Benrahma and Cornet await on the bench. Emerson replaces the injured Cresswell. 

Despite all the incomings, Moyes still has two goalkeepers on the bench!

This one is hard to call as both sides are in and out of form just now. Tuchel's men are probably under more pressure just now but both sides need a good performance.

Anyone for 2-2?

COYI!!!

Fabianski, Coufal, Kehrer, Zouma, Emerson, Rice, Soucek, Bowen, Paqueta, Fornals, Antonio

 

Substitutes: Areola, Randolph, Ogbonna, Coventry, Downes, Lanzini, Cornet, Benrahma