West Ham vs Nottingham Forest | PL | 6.1.26 | Predictions and Match Thread

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Match Centre: 

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Head to Head Stats:

Odds: 
WHU: 11/5
Draw: 5/2
Wolves: 11/8

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 Match Preview: 
TBC

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The term 'must win' is often used in circumstances where it's not quite true.  Is Forest at home a must win game?  Maybe, maybe not.  But 100% it's a must not lose game.  A win puts us within touching distance of a Forest side in the aftermath of their own little managerial change honeymoon period.  A loss....and 17th place starts to look a very long way away indeed.

We go into this game with some comings and goings in the squad.  Luis Guilherme has departed for Sporting.  Callum Wilson is negotiating an exit (no doubt he sees the writing on the wall with two striker signings coming in, and the 6k basic he's on starting to look like all he'll be getting most weeks).  Pablo and Taty Castellano are now in and training with the squad, and both seemingly well known or attacking their duels and fighting hard....and my word do we need some of that.

There's been no news surrounding Todibo and Paqueta for this one.  Paqueta's being a back injury, it's feasible a spasm could have subsided with some intensive physio...but with Todibo's being a groin injury, that feels less likely to make a swift disappearance with the usual sources reporting he needed a scan, but no outcomes.

And then there is the aftermath of the Wolves debacle.  Potts and Magassa got hooked at half time.  Soucek came in and looked slow but competent.  Wilson played 90 mins and is still currently here.  Myers came on and looked a million miles better than either of the other CB proponents...but surely we won't get a start as one of a back two?!  Plus there's the two new guys. The starting line up is suddenly anyone's guess.

Predicted Line Up:

But guess I will.  This is my hunch as to what Nuno will go for:

Areola

KWP  Mavropanos  Kilman  Scarles

Soucek   Potts

Bowen   Castellanos   Fernandes

Pablo

Subs: Hermansen, Igor, Myers, Magassa, Kante, Rodriguez, Sumerville, Paqueta, Wilson

If Paqueta is fit to start, I expect Taty to move up top, Paqueta to come in on the left, and Pablo to sit on the bench.  Mavropanos and Kilman seem likely to continue their Keystone Cops impression, mostly for lack of alternatives, with Igor clearly not rated, Myers thought more of as a fullback or wide in a 3 (he's not very physically imposing yet) and Todibo likely still out.  Lastly I suspect Magassa will be made scapegoat, with Potts getting some nepo treatment (although he's been poor of late) and Soucek coming in for some 'old stager presence' and 'leadership' in the middle of the park.  

Predicted Score:

After that last result, it feels impossible to predict a win.  Forest will low-block us, and have pace to burn on the flanks.  Something we clearly struggle with, but with both teams no doubt considering a defeat more damaging than anything else, I expect a cagey affair that ends in stalemate.

West Ham 1 - 1 Nottingham Forest

Is a point enough to save Nuno?  Or is 50m spent on a couple of strikers the real saving grace for the bald Portugeezer?  Time will tell.  He likely doesn't care either way.

COYI.

 

[Council Scum]

Thought we played well compared to some of the recent games. Can't criticise to many of the performances out there. 

Two really shit goals to concede, as said below it just feels like everything has gone against us this season whether it be VAR, looping headers, shit offsides etc. 

Todibo made a huge difference being back, be a shame to lose him next season. Scarles I thought done well, just needs more confidence going forward. After the mistake you can see that he is so scared to lose it he just plays it backwards every time he is near their box. Thought Mayers when he came on was superb at playing it forward quickly and accurately. 

Summerville again worked hard, few people slating him which I don't understand. If the second goal stands like it should have then I dont think anyone mentions him negatively. He worked his socks off in both directions last night. 

The offside rule I don't understand anymore, each week it gets interpreted differently. Firstly it comes off their defender, secondly how is that the same phase of play compared to Brighton a few weeks back.  Been saying it for years but VAR needs to go, it was brought in to get more decisions correct when infact it does the exact opposite and spoils the viewing experience as a result. 

Finally the two new lads, thought Taty off the ball was great. Just the simple notion of pressing from the front forcing the defence and GK to rush their forward kicks meant we got the ball back way more than if Wilson or Antonio were up there walking around. On the ball however he showed some nice link up play but no real goal threat in the box. Pablo for me looked off the pace, needed one more touch or one more second than what he had.  Didnt realise he cost 250k less than a year ago......and we've just shelved out £20m.  Nuno used to play with his Dad aswell at Porto....

Does feel like we need a miracle now, our home form is an absolute joke.  Teams playing well and still losing is not a good sign. Nor is not being able to score and not being able to keep a clean sheet. 

Everything around the club just feels desperately sad at the moment, hearbreaking to see this decline.  Looking at the squad I think when the vast majority go, we will be down in the Championship for a good few years. 

Tobido and Summerville were shit last night, fuck knows what game you were watching. 

[THUNDERCLINT]

VAR has shat on us all season and cost us probably quite a few points directly or indirectly. That’s what happens to teams who get relegated. Don’t get me wrong we are shit as well and deserve to be languishing at the bottom of the table but we in addition are just getting kick in the bollocks after kick in the bollocks from the officials. Four pens against us in the last three games. That one last night was utterly soul destroying. Piss weak in the last 5 mins. The officiating absolutely dictated the result of that game last night. I haven’t brought myself to see the offside on telly yet but that sounds dubious as well. If that goal stands we absolutely win the game. We may not have deserved it but so what. Sometimes any little break can galvanise you. Then to concede what looked like a pretty lucky goal that just perfectly looped over everyone and dropped in moments later was a real kick to the cock too. Everything is just conspiring against us this season in addition with us being piss poor. There’s only one outcome. 

Yeah but according to thunderclint, Forest 'battered' us.

Because they did, in our own house and once it was over our manager couldn't get on the pitch quickly enough to give them all a dry hump.

[Mad Ferret]

VAR has shat on us all season and cost us probably quite a few points directly or indirectly. That’s what happens to teams who get relegated. Don’t get me wrong we are shit as well and deserve to be languishing at the bottom of the table but we in addition are just getting kick in the bollocks after kick in the bollocks from the officials. Four pens against us in the last three games. That one last night was utterly soul destroying. Piss weak in the last 5 mins. The officiating absolutely dictated the result of that game last night. I haven’t brought myself to see the offside on telly yet but that sounds dubious as well. If that goal stands we absolutely win the game. We may not have deserved it but so what. Sometimes any little break can galvanise you. Then to concede what looked like a pretty lucky goal that just perfectly looped over everyone and dropped in moments later was a real kick to the cock too. Everything is just conspiring against us this season in addition with us being piss poor. There’s only one outcome. 

Yeah but according to thunderclint, Forest 'battered' us.

[El Scorchio]

VAR has shat on us all season and cost us probably quite a few points directly or indirectly. That’s what happens to teams who get relegated. Don’t get me wrong we are shit as well and deserve to be languishing at the bottom of the table but we in addition are just getting kick in the bollocks after kick in the bollocks from the officials. Four pens against us in the last three games. That one last night was utterly soul destroying. Piss weak in the last 5 mins. The officiating absolutely dictated the result of that game last night. I haven’t brought myself to see the offside on telly yet but that sounds dubious as well. If that goal stands we absolutely win the game. We may not have deserved it but so what. Sometimes any little break can galvanise you. Then to concede what looked like a pretty lucky goal that just perfectly looped over everyone and dropped in moments later was a real kick to the cock too. Everything is just conspiring against us this season in addition with us being piss poor. There’s only one outcome. 

[Rossal]

Thought we played well compared to some of the recent games. Can't criticise to many of the performances out there. 

Two really shit goals to concede, as said below it just feels like everything has gone against us this season whether it be VAR, looping headers, shit offsides etc. 

Todibo made a huge difference being back, be a shame to lose him next season. Scarles I thought done well, just needs more confidence going forward. After the mistake you can see that he is so scared to lose it he just plays it backwards every time he is near their box. Thought Mayers when he came on was superb at playing it forward quickly and accurately. 

Summerville again worked hard, few people slating him which I don't understand. If the second goal stands like it should have then I dont think anyone mentions him negatively. He worked his socks off in both directions last night. 

The offside rule I don't understand anymore, each week it gets interpreted differently. Firstly it comes off their defender, secondly how is that the same phase of play compared to Brighton a few weeks back.  Been saying it for years but VAR needs to go, it was brought in to get more decisions correct when infact it does the exact opposite and spoils the viewing experience as a result. 

Finally the two new lads, thought Taty off the ball was great. Just the simple notion of pressing from the front forcing the defence and GK to rush their forward kicks meant we got the ball back way more than if Wilson or Antonio were up there walking around. On the ball however he showed some nice link up play but no real goal threat in the box. Pablo for me looked off the pace, needed one more touch or one more second than what he had.  Didnt realise he cost 250k less than a year ago......and we've just shelved out £20m.  Nuno used to play with his Dad aswell at Porto....

Does feel like we need a miracle now, our home form is an absolute joke.  Teams playing well and still losing is not a good sign. Nor is not being able to score and not being able to keep a clean sheet. 

Everything around the club just feels desperately sad at the moment, hearbreaking to see this decline.  Looking at the squad I think when the vast majority go, we will be down in the Championship for a good few years. 

[violator]

Well, at least we wont have anymore of this VAR bullshit next season in the Championship...shocking decisions last night, the game has been gone for a while but this game nailed it down.
 

[Mad Ferret]

Saw that Soucek did the sky interview. 
Nothing from our Captain then? 

Bowen checked out weeks ago, he knows the game is up and his World Cup dream is over. I’d sell him now. He has been great for us but he is destroying the legacy he created.

[twoleftfeet]

Saw that Soucek did the sky interview. 
Nothing from our Captain then? 

Bowen checked out weeks ago, he knows the game is up and his World Cup dream is over. I’d sell him now. He has been great for us but he is destroying the legacy he created.

[bell]

Saw that Soucek did the sky interview. 
Nothing from our Captain then? 

[dealcanvey]

Completly fucked over by Var last night. Scrappy game but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose.

think Scarles is good defensively but needs to improve going forward. The other young LB that came on looked better in an attacking sense.

how the Summerville goal was disallowed I don’t know and as for the penalty that was absolutely ridiculous. Var really is killing the game.

atleast we won’t have to put up with it down in the championship next season.

[Mex Martillo]

I don't think I have ever see a bigger fix in my life. The Summerville goal , he has not even tried to pass the ball, he's trying to go past the defender and the defenders tackle puts out to Taty ( who was awful) Then we had two blatent fouls on Pablo and Bowen on the edge of the box and we get nothing. Then the penalty, Soucek cleared the ball. The Ariola goes into him. Gibbs-White is also offside when the free kick comes in. This ref as a cսnt all night

The thing that really pisses me off is without VAR we win. Yes referee made some odd decisions not giving us free kicks around the box and then giving same sort of free kicks to Forest. But on the two big game turning decisions the on pitch decision was Summervile scored and no penalty. Then the fuck wits at VAR come in and decide there was a clear and obvious error and overturn the on pitch decisions. It really is bollocks. For me we should have won. Allowing that second goal completely changs the game. Yes, looks like we're going down, I am not too upset about that, but last night was bollocks. Real shame if they do bring VAR into the 2nd division.

[Fauxstralian]

Didn’t think we deserved a win … slow, turgid, couldn’t string two passes together … but the penalty looked ridiculously soft.
Would that be given against a ‘Big 6’ team? No chance

Its done now as don’t imagine we will get 7 points in the rest of the season let alone catch anyone above us
As always the sinking will continue until Sullivan & Brady are driven out
Cant believe what a low ebb we are at and most fans understandably have given up on this shit show

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

I actually went tonight......first time since domval  in '16 ..wow...soul destroying in every way.
last time I will ever set foot in that fuckin gaff.
The fucking cսnt 'DJ' needs lobotomizing.
So far from what we were it's heartbreaking 

[onsideman]

Just seen the highlights and surely their defender played the ball to Taty? 

Summerville gets shoved to the ground no free kick, then the Pablo foul which was given that led to the penalty I thought at the time he didn't push him, his hand brushed his shoulder if Summerville wasn't fouled he definitely wasn't. 

I've just watched, too 

The Pablo 'foul' was more or less in front of me. I didnt think it was a foul at the time but the ref very clearly signalled that he thought he'd clipped Williams' heel... which I've now seen he absolutely didn't. 

[threesixty]

What record is that then? Being SACKED from the Valencia job and his last two Premier League jobs (Tottenham and Nottingham Forest) before the idiot Sullivan took a punt on him as he fitted his criteria of being an out of work loser with Premier League experience?

 

 

Oh please. No worse than Moyes’ record before he came to our club. He won the league in Saudi. He got into Europe with Forest who were about to be relegated before he took over. He got wolves promoted and made them a top 10 side when most newly promoted teams found it hard to survive. 

he only got sacked at Forest because of transfer malarkey, nothing to do with ability. Spurs also ruin everyone.  They sacked Jose etc. even frank will get the boot soon. It’s not a thing if spurs sack you, it’s a nothingness.

[Mad Dog]

Just seen the highlights, what the actual fuck was that offside decision?  The fucking defender knocked it to tatty?  Summerville did not pass it so how can it be fucking offside? 

Absolute joke

Tjokpenalty was bollocks too.  The forest player goes into areola as much as areola goes in.  I thought VAR was clear and obvious.  Utter bollocks

if we win that the gap is 1 and all to play for, 2 refereeing decions gave effectively ended any chanve we had od staying up.  

Yes we've been shit, but I find it very difficult when things like that have such a potential cost.

That ref was a cսnt all night and ive had it up to here with refs being complete incompetent dogshit 

[THUNDERCLINT]

The crackhead has a 12% win ratio.

 He's shit and needs sacking.
 

[Come On You Irons]

What record is that then? Being SACKED from the Valencia job and his last two Premier League jobs (Tottenham and Nottingham Forest) before the idiot Sullivan took a punt on him as he fitted his criteria of being an out of work loser with Premier League experience?

[RootsRadical]

Of course Nuno was a good appointment, his record speaks for itself, it's there in black & white.
He played the strongest possible team tonight and even had 3 strikers on the pitch for the majority of the 2nd half.

Bunch of moaning clueless no lifes on here calling him a shit choice, negative, a crackhead blah blah, and demanding we sack yet another manager.
Nothing changes and it will probably get worse until Sullivan goes

The club has been in decline for 3 years due to to the idiot running it.
The squad is poor, a mishmash of Sullivan specials, 3 previous managers and sporting directors with no joined up thinking.
We've been found out.
4 managers have failed to get a tune out these players, all have bad records here (Moyes last 2 years) what does that tell you?
 

[fraser]

Just seen the highlights and surely their defender played the ball to Taty? 

Summerville gets shoved to the ground no free kick, then the Pablo foul which was given that led to the penalty I thought at the time he didn't push him, his hand brushed his shoulder if Summerville wasn't fouled he definitely wasn't. 

[eusebiovic]

What do the coaching staff drill into Summerville all week? - How to run down blind alleys constantly with your head down? How not to make off the ball runs to create space? How to never mark anyone when tracking back? It's baffling. Then we have the zonal marking from set pieces. It doesn't work. We flood the box with everyone not marking anyone and have no out ball. And I just feel sorry for poor Soucek now - he's all heart but moves like he's using a walking frame

He reminds me of that Franz Carr fella who used to play for Forest back in the day and was on loan to us for less than 5 minutes...

[Vexed]

Scarles was the best player from where I was sitting. He got taken off. 





 

If anyone needed anymore evidence about Nunos clueless subs. It was mindblowing as he was 1 of our best players on the pitch.

 

He ain't no left back...in my eyes I see him as a deep lying left sided centre mid who can keep the ball moving. He's doing his best at left back but I don't think it's his best position.

Thought Scarles tried hard but he's terrible with the ball, actively doesn't want the thing. Will be OK in the championship though. 

[eusebiovic]

What do the coaching staff drill into Summerville all week? - How to run down blind alleys constantly with your head down? How not to make off the ball runs to create space? How to never mark anyone when tracking back? It's baffling. Then we have the zonal marking from set pieces. It doesn't work. We flood the box with everyone not marking anyone and have no out ball. And I just feel sorry for poor Soucek now - he's all heart but moves like he's using a walking frame

Less tattoos and more football - that's what I say

We seem to have a lot of players who fully concentrate on their latest superfluous inkage rather than actually learning something useful like striking a ball or even passing it to somebody with the same colour shirt...

[zico]

Biggest problem is it's very difficult to win football matches without having the ball and we have been trying to do it for the last 6 or 7 years. You can get away with it from time to time with the right players but for the last two of three years certainly we haven't got the players for it.

[,]

Each time I think we have reached rock bottom someone removes the shelf and we descend further.