Opinion-Moyes To Stick Or Twist?

Having acquired three straight victories in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League Cup so far, David Moyes knows a win or a draw would see his team sitting top of the group with two games still remaining to play. Hammers travel to Genk for their return leg of the fixture while actively pursuing success in the League and in the League Cup, in addition there is the FA Cup to come as well!

Moyes does have a bit of a head scratcher when it comes to his team selection for Thursday evening's game, Genk have so far been the best team Hammers have faced in their group, the eventual 3-0 scoreline did not do justice to the visitors who had arrived on the back of some dreadful domestic results. However, buoyed up by their performance in London, last weekend Genk managed to thrash their rivals Zulte 6-2 AWAY from home in the Belgium Pro-League, so they will be NO mugs.

The problem for the Hammers' manager is how to maintain the momentum, as he has already stated he wishes to do, while also looking after the fitness of his players. Last time against Genk the team was: Areola, Johnson, Dawson, Diop, Cresswell, Rice (c), Souček, Yarmolenko, Lanzini, Vlašić, Bowen, with Subs: Fabianski, Randolph, Fredericks, Ashby, Masuaku, Zouma, Ogbonna, Noble, Fornals, Chesters, Benrahma.

Hammers are at home to Liverpool on Sunday, defeat would NOT be a disaster as they are realistically going to finish ahead in the League, but maintaining the momentum would mean pushing them to the limit irrespective of the final score, and to do that ALL the big guns need to be firing on all cylinders.

Not playing Michail Antonio is a given, one sometimes thinks Moyes would rest him no matter what, being a Scot he might just want to make Andriy Yarmolenko stretch his legs a bit for the £115,000 per week the Ukraine captain gets paid! The biggest issue is does he play Rice and/or Cresswell, BOTH players are absolutely key to how West Ham go about their business, and both players had played a helluva lot of games non stop, surely they should be rested, just like big Mikey, if at all possible?

Fortunately, Alex Kral has recovered from his bout of Covid and should be fit enough to play, in theory that should free up 'Decs', but what about Cresswell? Authur Masuaku is clearly NOT a conventional left back, he is incredibly good at bringing the ball out of defence though, so perhaps Moyes may deploy Ben Johnson on the left and possibly Harrison Ashby on the right or Ryan Fredericks, he might even start Vladimir Coufal, although word is the Czech will be on the bench.

At the Org we understand the need to maintain momentum, but we are also painfully aware of what would happen if Cresswell picks up an injury, let alone one to Big Mikey or to Declan Rice. Proposed line up: Areola, Johnson, Dawson (c), Diop, Ashby, Kral, Noble (c), Yarmolenko, Lanzini, Vlašić, Bowen, with Subs: Fabianski, Randolph, Fredericks, Masuaku, Zouma, Ogbonna, Fornals, Chesters, Benrahma, Souček, Cresswell.

That's what we think, what do you reckon? - LN