Forum | General Discussion

The cameras will be at Newport County's ground for a reason tomorrow evening, the Carabao cup fixture against West Ham will more than likely be the home team's match of the season, and is a potentially massive banana skin for the Barclays Premier League side to avoid. Having lost to Wimbledon if the FA Cup by fielding an under strength side, Manuel Pellegrini will have to make sensible decisions ahead of this match.

Obviously Pelle will not put out a premier league fixture team and will look to give game time to peripheral players and those returning from injury, however he will be mindful of how important a good cup run can be and will therefore make a raft of changes, but retain his 'big guns' on the bench should they be needed. Will he play Mark Noble? Logic says no, in order for Mr West Ham to rest up ahead of Saturday's game against Norwich, but Noble's influence is so important at this moment in time his presence on the pitch would be surely missed.

Wilshere, Balbuena, Cresswell and Zabaleta will start, as will Albian Ajeti whose inclusion has already been confirmed by his manager. Roberto's role as keeper will fill many fans with fear judging from his earlier stints between the sticks in pre-season, but it is part of the arrangement for a number two keeper. Connor Coventry and Nathan Holland are also likely to feature, as will new signings Pablo Fornals and Gonçalo Cardoso.

It is to be hoped that Hammers have sufficient fire power on hand to dispense their lower league rivals, but this match is an accident waiting to happen and great care will need to be taken, as will the need to show the opposition respect, because they will up for it-big time! - Ed

West Ham United have finally got the player that the club have been missing for years, a real out and out striker, a genuine leader of the line, and a player whose bones aren't made of paper mache! For years various managers have been 'hamstrung' by the fact that the club did not have a 'proper' fit striker, ironically Sebastian Haller is exactly what Andy Carroll was supposed to be.

Haller's baptism of fire was the 'tonking' by league champions Manchester City, he was also on the receiving end of a series of 'professional' fouls by the Citeh players, he would have left the pitch vowing not to let himself get 'bullied' by anyone on his next outing for the team. Watford were the unfortunate recipients of Haller's need to put things right, and boy did he do that!

Haller's man of the match performance has already received plenty of praise from those who don't normally give it, with the Frenchman playing West Ham look a different animal, his presence frightens defenders and he is almost impossible to knock off the ball. The freedom Haller generates for other players should not be underestimated, Manu Lanzini and Pepe Anderson were able to torment the opposition because the defenders weren't able to mark Haller and the 'dynamic duo' at the same time.

Finally, we have to praise Mr West Ham, Mark Noble, his legs went years ago, but his spirit lives on. Mark's influence on the rest of the team is astonishing, he will have to get used to being subbed around the 65th minute due to the frantic pace of the Barclays Premier League, but his presence in and around the squad is essential, his confidence and love for the club is infectious, something that new players arriving take on board, one day he will have to retire but that day later rather than sooner. - Ed

Watford: Foster, Femenia, Cathcart, Dawson, Holebas, Hughes, Capoue, Doucoure, Cleverley, Deulofeu, Gray. Subs: Gomes, Janmaat, Kabasele, Chalobah, Quina, Sarr, Welbeck.
West Ham: Fabianski, Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Masuaki, Rice, Noble, Yarmolenko, Lanzini, Anderson, Haller. Subs: Jimenez, Balbuena, Zabaleta, Sanchez, Ajeti, Fornals, Antonio.