Match Centre:
Head to Head Stats:
Odds:
WHU: 11/5
Draw: 5/2
Wolves: 11/8
Pre-Match Press Conference:
Official Site
Match Preview:
TBC
Watch-along:
Hammers Chat
Streams:
Sport+
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https://champagne.pages.dev/docs/gettin ... ive-sports
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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, WilsonKWP Mavropanos Kilman Scarles
Soucek Potts
Bowen Castellanos Fernandes
Pablo
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.
