Ipswich Town (Home) | Match Predictions & Lineup

[stubbo-admin]

Feels early to be calling this a must-win, but at the same time if you've got any aspirations to 'make a big noise' this season, Ipswich at home IS a must win.

Team for me:

                                Areola

Wan Bissaka      Todibo     Kilman    Emerson

                Soucek     Alvarez    Soler

         Kudus             Bowen            Paqueta


Result: 

I can see a scrappy 1-0 here.

Here's some pre-match stuff:

Pre Match Training Video: 


Ipswich Tactical Analaysis:


Thoughts on Kudus:


Pre-Match Presser:
https://www.youtube.com/live/12AWjI2V2p ... C8csJ7vj-I

[stubbo-admin]

JLo keeps trying the same thing and expecting different outcomes

you aint winning the midfield with Soucek

expect us to get caught in possession. Midfield too collectively too slow. Runners not tracked or Rodriguez unable to get close to their nippy midfield

phillips and Johnson to have stormers

this is West Ham after all

This aged well SWTOC

[Sir Alf]

JLo keeps trying the same thing and expecting different outcomes

you aint winning the midfield with Soucek

expect us to get caught in possession. Midfield too collectively too slow. Runners not tracked or Rodriguez unable to get close to their nippy midfield

phillips and Johnson to have stormers

this is West Ham after all

[zico]

I'd seriously put  Kudus up front,.  Antonio was always at his best when he was in rapid bull in a china shop mode and Kudus is the closest thing we have to that.

I'd say it doesn't make sense. We're not playing long balls in behind...we need a number 9, back to goal, holding it up, spreading the ball, and then spinning to arrive to get on to crosses (given how we're playing)...as well as staying in the middle and not drifting out wide. The only guy that does that well in the squad is Fullkrug. Antonio or Ings is probably the next closest, but not close to being ideal.

Asking Kudus to do that negates all his exceptional qualities, and asks him to perform the skills he's not so good at.

With how JL sets up, he needs to be in the space at the moment JL is asking his fullbacks to occupy. 

Fair points but unless JL is going to play him either on the right or as a No 10 we aren't going to see the best of him as he clearly isn't comfortable on the left.  For him to go on the right Bowen either has to move to the left or up front and I just think Kudus strength makes him a better candidate up there than Bowen.  Ideal would be as a No10 but I can't see it from JL. 

[Tomshardware]

Think we will win comfortably today.

[Elpojohn]

West Ham United: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Rodríguez, Paquetá, Souček, Bowen ©, Kudus, Antonio
Subs: Fabiański (GK), Cresswell, Coufal, Mavropanos, Álvarez, Soler, Luis Guilherme, Summerville, Ings Referee: Anthony Taylor

[Elpojohn]

I think a 2-2 draw today, not looking good for Lopetegui. His days are counted if we lose this one.

[stubbo-admin]

I'd seriously put  Kudus up front,.  Antonio was always at his best when he was in rapid bull in a china shop mode and Kudus is the closest thing we have to that.

I'd say it doesn't make sense. We're not playing long balls in behind...we need a number 9, back to goal, holding it up, spreading the ball, and then spinning to arrive to get on to crosses (given how we're playing)...as well as staying in the middle and not drifting out wide. The only guy that does that well in the squad is Fullkrug. Antonio or Ings is probably the next closest, but not close to being ideal.

Asking Kudus to do that negates all his exceptional qualities, and asks him to perform the skills he's not so good at.

With how JL sets up, he needs to be in the space at the moment JL is asking his fullbacks to occupy. 

[Keep dreaming]

I can't understand how you are missing out in Summerville on the left, and what justifies Antonio being given another start.

[zico]

I'd seriously put  Kudus up front,.  Antonio was always at his best when he was in rapid bull in a china shop mode and Kudus is the closest thing we have to that.

[stubbo-admin]

In possession he needs to try and get us to (3-2-5)

             Wan Bissaka   Todibo   Kilman

                        Alvarez.    Paqueta/Soler

   Kudus.  Soucek. Antonio. Bowen. Emerson

Then in our defensive shape: (4-4-2)

Wan Bissaka. Todibo. Kilman. Emerson

Kudus Soucek. Alvarez. Paqueta/Soler

                   Antonio.  Bowen
  

Assuming of course Soucek and one of Paqueta and Soler start. 

[stubbo-admin]

Stubbo - or the manager should be adaptable to get the best from his squad and his best players, especially if his philosophy clearly isn’t working. If he isn’t able to do that, then he absolutely is just another Moyes but with a different style. 

But we don't know if it works yet as it's still a work in progress. I agree he needs to adapt his philosophy to get the players he has performing (eg recognising we have no true wingbacks, and an exceptional wide player in Kudus, and finding a way to have them fit his philosophy) but at the same time he needs to stay true to his principles too.

[DukeofDevo]

The way Ipswich played last week tells me we’re in for a tough match! Delap is scoring and if we’re not up for it their fast passing game will cause us problems! Let’s see if we can respond to a fairly lack lustre start to the season 

[Ron Eff]

Stubbo - or the manager should be adaptable to get the best from his squad and his best players, especially if his philosophy clearly isn’t working. If he isn’t able to do that, then he absolutely is just another Moyes but with a different style. 

[Manuel]

Scrappy 1-0 win. As for the team and formation I'll let the manager worry about that.

[stubbo-admin]

But frankly 3-2-5 in possession is the way Lopetegui sets his teams up.

If we don't want that we need a different manager, as that's his tactical approach and 'philosophy'.

[Hammer and Pickle]

Kudus needs to learn to play for the team rather than expect the team to play for him. Therefore if it means he plays central to make sure Bowen and Summerville do their best work as wide forwards, then that’s his role. Enough tinkering and enough three at the back with wingbacks nonsense.

[stubbo-admin]

Paqueta alongside Alvarez. Players like him will always lose the ball as they try to make things happen, but I’d rather him at playmaker than a sideways passer. Kudus at 10 and probably Ings up top (anyone bit Antonio), but failing that, I’d be tempted to play him up front while Fullkrug is out so at least he is central. Summerville has to play and Bowen should be on the right. 

The defence and keeper pick themselves. 

 

 

Watch the video above on Kudus to see why him at 10 is unlikely to work in the way we're playing.

He basically has to go back to wide right, and for Lopetegui to change how he establishes his 3-2-5, allowing Kudus to stay wide, and using a full back (Wan Bissaka) to make up the 3rd of the '3' instead of one of the DMs.

Anything else in the way Lopetegui is setting us up is likely to see him struggle as he's such a direct dribbler who relies on space and one Vs ones, and with the Lopetegui system, the only place that occurs is way out wide.

He's dramatically better in a counter attacking system where all the space is in behind, and he can run onto a direct pass. Think of him like Doku at City I guess....they find a way for him to stay wide.

[goose]

Playing paqueta deeper is just asking for trouble, he’s more likely to give it away in dangerous positions. Get him playing his football as near to their goal as possible.

It won’t be pretty and there will be a lot of grumbling, but we’ll shade it maybe 2-1.

A result that provides more questions than answers.
Lopetegui will have the international break to try & fix stuff.

[Hammer and Pickle]

That’s the way I see it too Ron. Alvarez need to stay out of the book for an hour as well.

[Ron Eff]

Paqueta alongside Alvarez. Players like him will always lose the ball as they try to make things happen, but I’d rather him at playmaker than a sideways passer. Kudus at 10 and probably Ings up top (anyone bit Antonio), but failing that, I’d be tempted to play him up front while Fullkrug is out so at least he is central. Summerville has to play and Bowen should be on the right. 

The defence and keeper pick themselves. 

[Leonard Hatred]

I think it'll be 1-1.
However, I have placed my traditional 2-1 bet because;
A) I am an optimist.
B) Consistency is key.

[Mad Dog]

Oh we all know how shit he was. But how many times do these things come back to bite us on the arse.

 

[Manuel]

Wonder what odds on kalvin phillips scoring the winner?

Lump on I'd say

There's more chance of the hopeless cսnt scoring an og or seeing red, he's fucking shit.

[MaryMillingtonsGhost]

---

A thumping 4-0 win........ *pours more evo-stik into carrier bag*

[Keep dreaming]

Haha, so my shit lineup is only missing "yellow card" Alvarez and "no brain" Antonio.
Well well...