Arsenal Vs West Ham | League | 22.2.25 | Match & Predictions

[stubbo-admin]

Sorry for the late post...


Match Centre:

Odds:
West Ham: 11/1
Draw: 5/1
Brentford: 31/100

Pre-Match Press Conference:
Official Press Conference

Tactical Preview: 
Analytics United

Watch-along:
Hammers Chat

Streams:

SportHD 

(With all live streams be mindful they can carry viruses etc.  Don't click on any ads and use a VPN).
  

[Maverick180180]

All we’ve done is sack one lunatic and replace him with another 
literally out of the frying pan and into the fire

how on earth can Todibo be fit to start but not Ferguson, there’s absolutely no logic in that whatsoever 
and bringing back Cresswell

I don’t care how long he’s been here, his team selections scream that he hasn’t got a clue what he’s doing 

That all seems a bit hysterical tbf

...and I'd like to have seen him start too but what on earth has Ferguson's fitness got to do with Todibo's?

 

 

Because if Ferguson is being judged that he’s not fit enough to start, then theres no way Todibo can be match fit to start either, he didn’t even bring him on last week but now he’s starting 
If it’s ok for Todibo to start, then it’s ok for Ferguson who actually has more match fitness  

[happygilmore]

I think  that's my predicted line up.
ferguson get second half. good chance he starts against Leicester 

[Takashi Miike]

my one moan is we didn't need three CMs in the team, Guilherme or the Mick should be starting instead. again, I can see us struggling to keep the ball in their half

[onsideman]

All we’ve done is sack one lunatic and replace him with another 
literally out of the frying pan and into the fire

how on earth can Todibo be fit to start but not Ferguson, there’s absolutely no logic in that whatsoever 
and bringing back Cresswell

I don’t care how long he’s been here, his team selections scream that he hasn’t got a clue what he’s doing 

That all seems a bit hysterical tbf

...and I'd like to have seen him start too but what on earth has Ferguson's fitness got to do with Todibo's?

[Mad Ferret]

Another unacceptable lineup.

This cսnt wants the sack, I’m sure of it.

[Maverick180180]

All we’ve done is sack one lunatic and replace him with another 
literally out of the frying pan and into the fire

how on earth can Todibo be fit to start but not Ferguson, there’s absolutely no logic in that whatsoever 
and bringing back Cresswell

I don’t care how long he’s been here, his team selections scream that he hasn’t got a clue what he’s doing 

[Mad Ferret]

3-0 defeat I'm afraid.

Would take that right now tbh.

[Jean-Luc Paul Goddard]

I think Potter should put away his preferred 343 formation for now. We clearly don't have the personnel for it. Personally I'd opt for a narrow 442, so we don't have to waste Kudus out on the left yet again, but I expect to see the same old shit.

-----------------Areola
---AWB---Todibo---Kilman---Scarles
-----------------Alvarez
-------Ward-Prowse----Soler
-----------------Kudus
--------Bowen--------Ferguson

[Keep dreaming]

...................​​​​Areola
Bissaka Todibo Kilman Scarles
......Irving Alvarez Prowse
....Bowen  Ferguson Kudus

[Tomsdad]

3-0 defeat I'm afraid.

[threesixty]

Mavropanos will play no doubt and we will concede. We always do with or without him. Arsenal injuries are mostly forwards? They still have the best defence or one of the best in the league and Rice, Partey, their young winger etc will dominate if 3 of Alvarez, JWP, Soler and Soucek are selected.  Not much hope if we are realistic? This squad is not fit for purpose. The damage done since Prague is damning. Keeping Moyes and his recruitment of players that were mostly old and/or slow and aligned to his low block / counter style ( a style fans had grown tired off once we were found out and had 2 poor seasons of), his insistence of only using 14 or 15 players, our inability to replace the “legs” Rice gave us. And in the last summer window, failing to address these major deficiencies properly despite spending 150 million.  Its all caught up with us over the last year really and we do not have the options, imo for any coach, to easily dig us out of the hole we created for ourselves.

This will take a couple of seasons at least to rectify. Potter may or may not be the man to do it but whoever came in was going to have a challenge on his hands. So far Lopetegui has failed although was a really bad fit. Potter is a second attempt. We wish him all the best but I suspect his honeymoon is already over with the fanbase especially if we dont get some points this week

 

 

 

 

I always think the big mistake both JLO and Potter make is playing both Alvarez and soucek in midfield. 

I believe more in defending from the front by either keeping the ball more in midfield or having more than 1 striker / attacker staying upfield. Leicester did a whole season of leaving Vardy and someone else up wide. They always had an outlet when they were pressed back. They won the league doing it. 

we end up with 2 slow cdm’s who can’t relieve the pressure and we get or maybe 1 forward who has to do it on his own. It doesn’t work. 

Please just not 2 cdms. We will get ran through. 

[Sir Alf]

Mavropanos will play no doubt and we will concede. We always do with or without him. Arsenal injuries are mostly forwards? They still have the best defence or one of the best in the league and Rice, Partey, their young winger etc will dominate if 3 of Alvarez, JWP, Soler and Soucek are selected.  Not much hope if we are realistic? This squad is not fit for purpose. The damage done since Prague is damning. Keeping Moyes and his recruitment of players that were mostly old and/or slow and aligned to his low block / counter style ( a style fans had grown tired off once we were found out and had 2 poor seasons of), his insistence of only using 14 or 15 players, our inability to replace the “legs” Rice gave us. And in the last summer window, failing to address these major deficiencies properly despite spending 150 million.  Its all caught up with us over the last year really and we do not have the options, imo for any coach, to easily dig us out of the hole we created for ourselves.

This will take a couple of seasons at least to rectify. Potter may or may not be the man to do it but whoever came in was going to have a challenge on his hands. So far Lopetegui has failed although was a really bad fit. Potter is a second attempt. We wish him all the best but I suspect his honeymoon is already over with the fanbase especially if we dont get some points this week

[threesixty]

I said last time he should do something radical with this team. No point in playing it safe. We need to find a way of playing. 

City played a front 2 with Marmoush and Halland the other day and Newcastle had no answer. 

I’d actually play Fergusson and Kudus as front 2 as kudus doesn’t know how to pass well enough for midfield duties. 

—————fergusson-Kudus 
——-scarles - JWP - Soler - bowen
 ———————Alvarez 
 ———-kilman / Todibo/ Awb 
——————— areola 
 
Keep 2 on the half way line. Stop the arse from playing a high line .
but I’m dreaming …. ;-(

[honky cat]

Our massive bastards are winning today 

[Maverick180180]

Can’t see it being anything other than a blood bath,
Potter seems to be going backwards each game, 
early days for him, but I’m not sure how there’s ever going to be any improvement when just like Lopetegui before him, he keeps selecting the wrong players 

[THUNDERCLINT]

I was enthused after the first games but have rapidly reach ed don't care and I didn't even get to that point under Avram, I actually detest 90% of the players at this point.

Bowen, Summerville and AWB aside I'd be quick glad if the rest caught something fast acting and incurable so we'd have the insurance payout it the kitty for the summer rather than gave to see them again or try to flog the useless fuckwits.

Home win. Potter  starting XI shit show masterclass and the game gone by HT.

[roltrader]

A jolly good spanking of the highest magnitude for me.

[El Scorchio]

Double post 

[El Scorchio]

It would be the way to perform like we did against Villa and Chelsea and feel hard down by with a narrow defeat or a draw. I guess you have to wonder if Arsenal are going to start crumbling like they have the last few seasons or if it’s Liverpool who will do that while Arsenal Man City it. 

very likely a loss today but you’d probably expect that no matter. Thursday’s game is far more interesting really. You’d have to hope and think nothing other than a convincing home win there. 

[Sir Alf]

Whereas Moyes often got the “rub of the green” and seemed to be one of those “lucky managers” when he needed a win, Potter might be the opposite or at least so far, aside from that Fulham game, all the marginal decisions, deflections, VAR etc have all gone against him.   

Even if we put in another good away performance I suspect the post, bar, refereeing decisions, a sending off and of course VAR will conspire to consign us to another defeat to one of the entitled clubs.  I was cursed being born into a West Ham supportimg family and conversely I am a “Jonah” for them beomg a supporter. Just like my namesake “Lucky Alf” from the Fast Show…. “Oh bugger! “.

And in opposite fashion, it always seems that injuries or a bad team performance always manages to get Soucek in the starting line up even after he has had a “shocker” .  That central midfield will cost us yet again today I fear with Rice or someone like Partey or even Jourgino getting a mn undeserved winner

[happygilmore]

Cheers Stubbo,

It sounds like GP won't start Evan this game, so I would expect your line up with Soucek instead of Evan, with Bowen leading the line.

I'm not feeling quiet as pessimistic as most on here, i.e. the opinion we will get hammered.

[Mad Ferret]

Which day rave you off to, Heccy? 

[fraser]

Out today so won't be able to watch.. Possibly a good thing.. 

[Mad Ferret]

4-0 Arsenal

Sterling and Merino with 2 goals each.

[stubbo-admin]

Hard to see anything other than an absolute shellacking today. Only saving grace being their attack is somewhat depleted, with Jesus, Saka, Havert, and Martinelli all out injured.

For us, Paqueta, Summerville, Fullkrug, Coufal and Antonio continue to keep the physios busy...rumours of a desire for pace (very funny Graham) and Guilherme getting an unlikely start whistle through the cavernous corridors of Brady's crowing achievement (cսnt).

Can't see quite where Guilherme gets in the side though unless Ferguson starts from the bench again, or Kudus gets dropped.

Prediction: 2-0 home win

Lineup:

Areola

Todibo Kilman Cresswell

Wan Bissaka Ward-Prowse Alvarez Scarles

Bowen Ferguson Kudus

Subs: Fabianski, Mavropanos, Casey, Emerson, Soler, Soucek, Guilherme, Irving, Ings

As usual, centre midfield looks like a horrible Achilles heel. We've got 7 central midfielders to fill two spots (Rodriguez, Irving, Alvarez, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Orford and Soler) and yet it feels like there isn't a decent 2-man combination amongst them. 

Think Ward-Prowse gets the nod on personality, experience and likelihood to not just give the ball away more than anything, and probably Alvarez as his most likely foil purely for an aggression factor. But not convinced it works and would frankly rather see Orford and Irving (the youngest of them) just becuase they at least have most of their career to come and could grow.

Anyway...I'd start Ferguson, even if he's only good for 60 mins, then replace with Guilherme for the last 30...the lad deserves more than a 5 minute cameo.  Was sorely tempted to leave out Kudus for Guilherme, but the reality is we'll be under the cosh and playing on the break, and in that setup Kudus is at his best...and our most salesable asset won't recover any value by being benched.

Got horror show written all over it....let's hope for a repeat of Newcastle away. COYI.