West Ham vs Brentford | PL | 20.10.25 | Predictions and Match Thread

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Match Centre: 

 Odds: 
WHU: 8/5
Draw: 5/2
Arsenal: 19/10

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It will have been 16 days since we saw what football at the top end of things could look like by Arsenal, who made us look second class citizens in footballing terms.

This game is unusual this season, in so far as the bookies have us down as favourites to win.  Monday nigth, under the lights....but how empty will the bowl be.  With a boycott planned, kids for a quid, general sale tickets up for cheap, and Nuno's first home game, the atmosphere and attendance is anyone's guess.

Injuries wise, our Big Fucking German is big fucking injured again...reducing the options up front to the two Callum's.  Nuno chose to save ~86k in wages last time out, preferring the pace and mobility of Marshall over Wilson, and it will be interesting to see if he does the same thing here, or goes for a 'makeshift' centreforward.  And of course Soucek is back.

Other than that, there are no fresh concerns reported going into the weekend.

Predicted Starting Lineup:

Areola

Wan Bissaka   Mavropanos    Kilman    Diouf

Magassa

Fernandes             Soucek       Paqueta       Summerville

Bowen (c)

Subs: Hermansen, KWP, Igor, Potts, Guilherme, Marshall, Rodriguez, Wilson, Scarles

Predicted Score: 1-0 (Soucek)

COYI

 

 

[Sir Alf]

So long as Nuno learns from it, that might be a very poor consolation but Im not sure he will? 

We were dominated in midfield, that was the biggest issue. The CBs and crazy full back selections added to it but once they were changed, we were still dominated in the middle of the park. We need numbers and legs in there.  Makes us far more compact out of possession.  When will a manager see that Paqueta has to play deeper? Magassa and Potts have to be picked ahead of Soucek, Guido and Irvine. Its so obvious.  Is it that bowl that deceives the eyes so they cannot see the lack of athleticism in the middle?  I guess tonight Nuno paid fir his crazy experiment having to sub 3 defenders and hence he couldnt replace 2 centre mids too. So left Soucek and Irvine on and then brought on an attacker. The most worrying thing was the late sub of Guido to fix an overrun midfield.  He aint suited to the Prem  Lge without a 2 athletes alongside and we dont have any in midfield. Its what restricts us so much. Magassa is strong but aint quick. So the huge gap Rice left remains which is why we will have overload in that area playing 3 or even 4. 

[zico]

Agree with Sir Alf and El Scorch. 451/433 is our only option right now with a minimum of three in central midfield. That's where Paqueta plays/played for Brazil for Pete's sale, why can fans see this but not manager? It's damage limitation sadly because we don't have two players who can hold the fort in there. As said below Rice papered over the cracks in there. I just don't see how scouts and the club can go from selling an all rounder midfielder in Rice and then getting in the likes of Guido Rodriguez! Like for like surely. It's always the same. Antonio does well for years as a striker but we try and replace him with bean poles that can't move! Didn't rate him particularly but would have been interesting to have seen if Nuno fancied Alvarez. At least he put a foot in albeit a bit over enthusiastically at times.

[El Scorchio]

1. Left back Ollie Scarles at right back.
2. Right back Walker-Peters at left back.
3. No Wan-Bissaka, despite #1 and #2.
4. Mavrapanos on the bench behind Todibo and Kilman.
5. Championship calibre Irving in midfield.
6. Brazil’s #8 midfielder playing as a target man #9 on his own.
7. No striker in the starting line up.

All utterly batshit in context of our first home game under a new manager.

Keep it simple, Nuno. Play your best players in their best positions.

 

This- it's just a continuation of the same mental shit we saw under Lop and Potter. Just decisions that fly in the face of logic. I feel like it's clear to all of us that the best bet we have is playing more or less as follows:

Areola
AWB (right)
Kilman
Mav (not centre backs are not 'good' but just the least shit option we have however Todibo maybe over Mav)
Diouf (left)

Magassa/Potts
Fernandes
Paqueta

Bowen
Marshall/Wilson
Summerville

It seems fairly straightforward. What are multiple coaches seeing that we don't? Why are they trying to outthink themselves and be over clever? Is there something extraordinary and incomprehensible going on behind the scenes?
On what planet do you have the back up centre backs starting a game on the wrong sides? How do you even rationally think that? How do you start with Soucek and Irving in CM? Paqueta as false nine AGAIN??? Are Marshall and Wilson both THAT shit?
Crazy, crazy decisions on the face of it. It's impossible to understand from the outside looking in.

 

Yep, agree with that Scorch.

I’d only add that it seems really obvious to me that our best striker is Wilson (another incredible feat, like Mav being our best CB). We all want Marshall to do well, because he’s one of us. But in reality, he’s not quite Premier League standard just yet. Maybe, in time.

Yes, it's staggering and downright criminal how bereft of any quality we are up front or at centre back. How our recruitment over a sustained amount of time can actually have been that poor and/or misjudged.

[southbankbornnbred]

 

Nonsense - he may not have been here long, but he absolutely WAS at fault as much as the players tonight.

He made five or six utterly batshit decisions.

Every Premier League side was hampered by the international break. Including Brentford. And we made them look like Pep’s famous Barcelona side.

1. Left back Ollie Scarles at right back.
2. Right back Walker-Peters at left back.
3. No Wan-Bissaka, despite #1 and #2.
4. Mavrapanos on the bench behind Todibo and Kilman.
5. Championship calibre Irving in midfield.
6. Brazil’s #8 midfielder playing as a target man #9 on his own.
7. No striker in the starting line up.

All utterly batshit in context of our first home game under a new manager.

Keep it simple, Nuno. Play your best players in their best positions.

 

This- it's just a continuation of the same mental shit we saw under Lop and Potter. Just decisions that fly in the face of logic. I feel like it's clear to all of us that the best bet we have is playing more or less as follows:

Areola
AWB (right)
Kilman
Mav (not centre backs are not 'good' but just the least shit option we have however Todibo maybe over Mav)
Diouf (left)

Magassa/Potts
Fernandes
Paqueta

Bowen
Marshall/Wilson
Summerville

It seems fairly straightforward. What are multiple coaches seeing that we don't? Why are they trying to outthink themselves and be over clever? Is there something extraordinary and incomprehensible going on behind the scenes?
On what planet do you have the back up centre backs starting a game on the wrong sides? How do you even rationally think that? How do you start with Soucek and Irving in CM? Paqueta as false nine AGAIN??? Are Marshall and Wilson both THAT shit?
Crazy, crazy decisions on the face of it. It's impossible to understand from the outside looking in.

 

 

Yep, agree with that Scorch.

I’d only add that it seems really obvious to me that our best striker is Wilson (another incredible feat, like Mav being our best CB). We all want Marshall to do well, because he’s one of us. But in reality, he’s not quite Premier League standard just yet. Maybe, in time.

[El Scorchio]

He’ll never admit it, because managers never do, but Nuno knows he fucked up royally with that tricksy, batshit starting line up.

That's why he wasted three half-time substitutions unpicking his own mess. Off came Scarles, off came KWP, on came Mavrapanos (who, incredibly, is our best centre half because the others are utterly hopeless).

He was trying to be a clever cսnt. And he got found out. Do the basics well first. Then be a clever cսnt.

Even those subs were utterly bonkers though as well. Surely save two of them by just swapping Scarles and KWP to at least see if it improves for 5-10 mins and concentrate on changing midfield and making that more solid rather than making it less solid by taking away from it. For my money I was flabbergasted the changes were not Irving and Soucek for Magassa and Marshall/Wilson. With one or both full backs following if that added to swapping those players to the correct flank didn't change anything.

[El Scorchio]

The manager is not at fault, international break didn't do him any favours 

 

Nonsense - he may not have been here long, but he absolutely WAS at fault as much as the players tonight.

He made five or six utterly batshit decisions.

Every Premier League side was hampered by the international break. Including Brentford. And we made them look like Pep’s famous Barcelona side.

1. Left back Ollie Scarles at right back.
2. Right back Walker-Peters at left back.
3. No Wan-Bissaka, despite #1 and #2.
4. Mavrapanos on the bench behind Todibo and Kilman.
5. Championship calibre Irving in midfield.
6. Brazil’s #8 midfielder playing as a target man #9 on his own.
7. No striker in the starting line up.

All utterly batshit in context of our first home game under a new manager.

Keep it simple, Nuno. Play your best players in their best positions.

 

 

This- it's just a continuation of the same mental shit we saw under Lop and Potter. Just decisions that fly in the face of logic. I feel like it's clear to all of us that the best bet we have is playing more or less as follows:

Areola
AWB (right)
Kilman
Mav (not centre backs are not 'good' but just the least shit option we have however Todibo maybe over Mav)
Diouf (left)

Magassa/Potts
Fernandes
Paqueta

Bowen
Marshall/Wilson
Summerville

It seems fairly straightforward. What are multiple coaches seeing that we don't? Why are they trying to outthink themselves and be over clever? Is there something extraordinary and incomprehensible going on behind the scenes?
On what planet do you have the back up centre backs starting a game on the wrong sides? How do you even rationally think that? How do you start with Soucek and Irving in CM? Paqueta as false nine AGAIN??? Are Marshall and Wilson both THAT shit?
Crazy, crazy decisions on the face of it. It's impossible to understand from the outside looking in.

[southbankbornnbred]

He’ll never admit it, because managers never do, but Nuno knows he fucked up royally with that tricksy, batshit starting line up.

That's why he wasted three half-time substitutions unpicking his own mess. Off came Scarles, off came KWP, on came Mavrapanos (who, incredibly, is our best centre half because the others are utterly hopeless).

He was trying to be a clever cսnt. And he got found out. Do the basics well first. Then be a clever cսnt.

[Sir Alf]

Carragher saying what most fans have been saying for season after season. No athleticism, pace, legs, physicality and that hurts us most in midfield.  As Zico says, we have to have 3 in midfield at a minimum. Rice was masking the problem for a long while and his replacements highlight our disasterous lack of planning, recruitment etc. That all stems from the owner but Moyes , Loppy and Potter failed to address it.  Magassa aint that quick but is quicker than most and physically strong. Potts aint quick but can compete physically and passes well, carries it well. Fernandes was not great but not the worst and is not a wide left midfielder. Try him in the no 10 role and as Zico says use him Magassa, Potts and Paqueta in centre mid to at least compete. 

Wilson should get some minutes and probably Bowen will have to help centrally too unfortunately.  KWP played as a wide right attacker for Southampton at times so is an option there.  

But all this is “making do”. The squad reflects the chaotic, short term, reactive thinking of Sullivan and Brady. A complete mess.  Im saying we are lookimg certainties for relegation as things stand and its no surprise. Even Moyes last 2 seasons invluding the conf win year we were largrly poor in the league. Finishing 9th by goal difference and only 4 or 5 pointd above fimishing 15th ir 16th. We have been sliding since 2022 and are now in freefall

 

[southbankbornnbred]

The manager is not at fault, international break didn't do him any favours 

 

Nonsense - he may not have been here long, but he absolutely WAS at fault as much as the players tonight.

He made five or six utterly batshit decisions.

Every Premier League side was hampered by the international break. Including Brentford. And we made them look like Pep’s famous Barcelona side.

1. Left back Ollie Scarles at right back.
2. Right back Walker-Peters at left back.
3. No Wan-Bissaka, despite #1 and #2.
4. Mavrapanos on the bench behind Todibo and Kilman.
5. Championship calibre Irving in midfield.
6. Brazil’s #8 midfielder playing as a target man #9 on his own.
7. No striker in the starting line up.

All utterly batshit in context of our first home game under a new manager.

Keep it simple, Nuno. Play your best players in their best positions.

[southbankbornnbred]

The manager is not at fault, international break didn't do him any favours 

 

 

Nonsense - he may not have been here long, but he absolutely WAS at fault as much as the players tonight.

He made five or six utterly batshit decisions.

Every Premier League side was hampered by the international break. Including Brentford. And we made them look like Pep’s famous Barcelona side.

[zico]

I don't even think that big fella with tattoos who burst into the dressing room at the start of the 85/86 season to give them all a bollocking would even get this lot to put a bit of effort in! For too long we have had no legs in midfield. The only thing I can think of is to make sure we always have three in there. Three from Potts, Paqueta, Fernandes, Magassa as a three? I don't know but Souceks legs have gone, Rodriguez is just shit and as much as I hoped he may do well it was shown Irving isn't good enough. Even if you got the midfield right what do you do at centre back? Kilman, Todibo or Igor are the only options are they not now Mav is out, unless there are any youngsters who can play there? Is Oggy available on a free?

[pdcwhu]

The manager is not at fault, international break didn't do him any favours 

[southbankbornnbred]

Carragher,West Ham are the worst athletic team that i have seen in a very very long time.

This is 100% right from the scouse gobshite.

[Fauxstralian]

We have had some shit performances this season but that was right up there
A disorganised rabble 
2-0 going on 5
Their keeper could have brought out a deckchair and a newspaper 

[honky cat]

I dont understand why he didnt carry on with the everton, arsenal teams - fullkrug thankfully injured, so just a couple of tweaks needed

i admit i was positive when the team was announced this evening, because silly old me thought - yeah great, they must have come up with something much better over the past fortnight. I never dreamed we would be going backwards, absolute garbage.

[Massive Attack]

Nuno, "the fans were concerned and that filtered down to the players making them anxious".

 

 

Did he really just say that? Talk about passing the fucking buck you excuse ridden coward. That aint on the fans at all. Fucking cսnt!

[southbankbornnbred]

Among the 400 million things that were truly abysmal tonight, it also really showed that we are a physically weak team.

Brentford are a big side. But they are also really well conditioned and looked as fit as fiddles.

Contrast that with our physically weak mob like Walker-Peters (tossed around like a dog toy tonight), Scarles (young, so has an excuse), Irving, Fernandes, Summerville and Marshall.

Even our centre backs aren’t as strong as they should be: Kilman, Todibo etc. I’m not sure who is in charge of our strength and conditioning at Rush Green, but he needs to have a think about preparation.

It really looked like men against boys at times tonight. You could knock over half of our side with a well-directed fart.

[Anders]

Avram Grant’s team was worse.

Don’t blame Nuno, he has just arrived. Blame a series of bad transfer decisions. Blame the majority of a squad that don’t seem to care. Blame an absence of decent centre backs.

You can’t ignore that most other teams supporters blame West Ham’s fans for getting rid of David Moyse and say this is just desserts. Sick club ?

 

But you CAN blame Nuno for some truly horrendous decisions tonight. I’m sorry, but no manager gets a free pass when he drops Diouf, puts Scarles (a left back) at right back and Walker-Peters (a right back) at left back, plays a Championship player in Irving alongside a guy whose legs have gone (Soucek) and puts Brazil’s #8 midfielder upfront on his own as a #9. Then refuses to bring on the only half-decent striker we have on our books.

Sorry - nobody gets away with that without justified criticism. What we saw from Nuno tonight was was utterly batshit.

Cant disagree with any of that, but the underlying problem isn’t the proven manager, it’s a relegation squad.

[RBshorty]

Primed for the drop my friend’s. Championship here we come.!

[twoleftfeet]

No shit Sherlock! We’ve been saying that since Rice left.

[ragingbull]

Carragher,West Ham are the worst athletic team that i have seen in a very very long time.

[Massive Attack]

You can’t ignore that most other teams supporters blame West Ham’s fans for getting rid of David Moyse and say this is just desserts. Sick club ?

 

 

Utter bollocks, if Moyes fortunately didn't have both Rice and Bowen we would have been relegated already by now when he was manager. 

[twoleftfeet]

Anxious? Fuck me he should try watching that shit.

Lose on Friday and he is done. 

[Django]

Avram Grant’s team was worse.

Don’t blame Nuno, he has just arrived. Blame a series of bad transfer decisions. Blame the majority of a squad that don’t seem to care. Blame an absence of decent centre backs.

You can’t ignore that most other teams supporters blame West Ham’s fans for getting rid of David Moyse and say this is just desserts. Sick club ?

 

But you CAN blame Nuno for some truly horrendous decisions tonight. I’m sorry, but no manager gets a free pass when he drops Diouf, puts Scarles (a left back) at right back and Walker-Peters (a right back) at left back, plays a Championship player in Irving alongside a guy whose legs have gone (Soucek) and puts Brazil’s #8 midfielder upfront on his own as a #9. Then refuses to bring on the only half-decent striker we have on our books.

Sorry - nobody gets away with that without justified criticism. What we saw from Nuno tonight was was utterly batshit.

 

 

100%. Most awful management of a game since big Sam threw the kids under the bus against Forrest. 

[Anders]

We’ll be bottom of the league by 15:45 on Sunday.

I cant see where a home win comes from.