⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread
charleyfarley 5:14 Sun Apr 7

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> ⚽ West Ham v Leverkusen - Official Match Thread

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Leverkusen V West Ham

Bay Arena
11 Apr 20:00 BST

Referee:- Artur Dias (POR )
VAR :-Tiago Martins POR

Leverkusen:- Kovář, Stanišić, Tah ©, Tapsoba, Grimaldo, Xhaka, Palacios, Frimpong, Wirtz, Adli, Schick
Subs: Hradecky (GK), Lomb (GK), Hincapié, Kossounou, Hofmann, Andrich, Borja Iglesias, Arthur, Tella, Boniface, Puerta

West Ham:- Fabiański, Coufal, Zouma ©, Mavropanos, Cresswell, Emerson, Ward-Prowse, Souček, Paquetá, Kudus, Antonio
Subs: Anang (GK), Knightbridge (GK), Aguerd, Ogbonna, Johnson, Casey, Earthy, Orford, Cornet, Mubama, Ings

Betway:- Leverkusen 4/9 : Draw 7/2 ; West Ham 11/2

TV :- discovery + / TNT Sports 2
.

charleyfarley 2:14 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Good Morning all it's the big one, the bookies don't fancy us. Qarabag gave them a run for their money so not impossible. we all know how Moyes will set up so no surprises.

COME ON YOU MIGHTY MIGHTY EUROPEAN IRONSSSS!!!!!!!!!

Coffee 2:26 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Thanks as always, Charley.

Not sure we'll be in the next round, but a win over the two legs would be a remarkable achievement. COYI.

Sir Alf 2:53 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Odds against us. Alvarez out first leg and possibly Bowen. More than 1 goal deficit are we are done.

Squad depth has caught up. We need our best 11 all available to have a chance.

Nagel 3:06 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Leverkusen play 3 at the back so I expect Moyes to follow suit, same as he did in the 2nd half vs Wolves. Their wing backs are a real threat and both have scored 10+ goals this season, so I expect us to play 343 with our wingers and wingbacks both focused on defending.

The only positive for me in playing against an undefeated league leader is that the Bundesliga ain't all that. If a pretty crap team like Freiburg can be 5th-10th all season that is not a strong league.

Alan 3:16 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Bowen out for ~ 3 weeks with a bruised spine.

cheesebgt 3:22 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Alan 3:16 Tue Apr 9

Just saw that. Not great news.

Tomshardware 3:26 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Tough without arguably our best player.

Sir Alf 3:32 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Bowen injury could be the fatal blow to the Moyes "House of Straw" squad he has built ( or not built I should say ).

We need to "sh*t a miracle" and Alvarez missing too I just don't see a way to get back to London with a 1 goal defeat or better?

Paqueta HAS to play as more of a defensive midfielder in this one. Emerson as the wide left attacking threat and I guess risk old man Cresswell as part of a back 5?

Not good whichever way you pick a team and formation.

We need a 3 match "Alan Taylor run of cup games". Who could be the Alan Taylor figure? Ings? Cornet?

I expect Moyes will revert to type and the Soucek at least back, low block, 9 or 10 deep defending and wait until they score to do anything and even that is not guaranteed. It will take 2 goals down for him to act I suspect.

Takashi Miike 3:36 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

I fucking hate five at the back (which is how he uses three), but given he won't entertain using someone like cornet or ings, I'd go with this........


--------------------------------------- Fab --------------------------------------------
------------- Stavros ---------- Zouma ---------- Aguerd -----------------
Coufal ------------- Soucek -------- Ward Prowse ------- Emerson
--- ⬇ ---------- Kudus --------------------------- Paqueta ---------- ⬇ ----
------------------------------------ Antonio ------------------------------------------


as much as Aguerd also makes mistakes, I don't trust Cresswell and especially up against the young german Wirtz

Fifth Column 3:48 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

I see we have the same ref who reffed the England v Brazil game so with luck he'll let Paqueta kick the shit out of Leverkusen like he did against England.

Fifth Column 3:49 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

I agree with Aguerd left of a back three but I really fear Moyes will go with poxy Cresswell and he'll get murdered

Takashi Miike 3:58 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

me too fifth, he just can't help himself

Nagel 4:06 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

When Cresswell plays in a back 3 he tends to get forward a lot and seeing as Emerson seems to always cut inside when he gets past the half way line and Paqueta will probably play LW, the only real width we'd get from that side would be if Cresswell played. Obviously if Moyes is only interested in just keeping the score down then it'll be Aguerd. Could imagine he'll swap them out mid game, depending on how it's going.

gph 4:13 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

I assume this is 20:00 BST, not GMT

Might make difference to some of our exiles getting up in the middle of the night

Fauxstralian 4:15 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Always think playing ultra defensive against superior sides just lets them shoot fish in a barrel.
Needs to be some sort of out ball and threat going the other way.
Major test for Moyes dealing with a side that dicked us 4-0 in the preseason friendly.
As said if we come back with worse than a 1 goal deficit its game over
Suspect he will try and match their formation but we need to have SOME possession or it will be a long night

Takashi Miike 4:23 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

sven, totally agree but given he will only use certain players I just can't see any other formation. he won't even use cornet/ings against crap teams in the league and I doubt earthy would be risked. maybe he risks putting in phillips 😂

BRANDED 4:31 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Shame about Bowen. Oh well.

Fauxstralian 4:54 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

Yes, we have been fairly lucky comparatively with injuries and suspensions but curious to see what MOYES does without Alvarez and Bowen who is a massive miss.
The problem (one of them) with only using a small group is that when you are forced to go outside it the players that come in are as RUSTY AS FUCK.
And being asked to play for the first time in ages away to the unbeaten German league leaders.
Good luck lads!

scott_d 4:55 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

We can do it.

Levekusen hardly played anyone decent and even Bayern are not the same team this year clearly.

They have not faced the wrath of an all out Moyes attack force, and if they dare go 1-2 goals ahead they might have to deal with it!

scott_d 4:57 Tue Apr 9
Re: ⚽ Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

This for me though, is another argument for making use of substitutions.

Danny Ings has barely kicked a ball since he scored against Freiberg. If he'd been kept warm with some game time you could argue that he'd be useful as a replacement for Bowen?

But not with about 10 minutes of football in 3 weeks.

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