16/09/2016

Deportivo Potter

Well, what can be said that hasn’t already been mentioned all week.  It seems the teething problems that we have with the new stadium will be a topic of conversation throughout this season.  The sooner it all settles down the better it will be for the fan and the  profile of the club.

On to the football and for 35 mins or so I was well impressed with what I saw, the injured players had returned and West Ham were playing and entertaining the crowd as much as they had all season.  Then it seemed as if we did get a little complacent and allowed Watford a small chance to get something out of the game. With the mix up just before half time it gave them all the belief they needed to take all 3 points and at the same time seemed to knock the stuffing out of us.

But on a positive side we now travel to the Hawthorns where we face a team a West Brom team who have not won since the first game of the season where they beat Crystal Palace away.  Since then they have lost at home to Everton and away to Bournemouth while picking up a point at home to newly promoted Middlesbrough.  There is also constant talk of an unhappy Tony Pulis who may feel that he hasn’t been backed by the board during the transfer window.  Diafra Sakho was reported to be on his way before failing a medical.  It must have been serious as he still doesn’t seem to be fit for us yet.

After four games so far this season West Ham are at the wrong end of the table in 17th position with a single victory over Bournemouth so far, with away defeats to Chelsea and Manchester City and the aforementioned home reverse against Watford.  So getting back to winning ways will be on the Agenda for Slaven’s men.

West Brom should have Wales star striker Hal Robson-Kanu in the squad for the first time this year which Tony Pulis will be hoping to bolster an attack which often appears to be goal shy under Pulis.  James Morrison looks likely to miss out as well having not recovered from a hamstring injury.

West Ham will continue to be without Cresswell, Ayew, Carroll and Sakho for this match  While Mark Noble should have recovered enough from having stitches in his hand.  Alvaro Arbeloa looks likely to have to wait a bit longer for his return to the Premier League while Sofiane Feghouli might be able to make it on to the bench to make his first league appearance of the season.

Predicted Line ups :

West Brom : Foster, Dawson, McAuley, Evans, Galloway, Fletcher, Yacob, Philips, Field, Chadli, Berahino

West Ham : Adrian, Byram, Reid, Ogbonna, Masuaku, Noble, Kouyate, Payet, Lanzini, Antonio, Zaza

I think the change at center half with Ogbonna coming in is an obvious one, this I feel is Slavs preferred pairing.  I don’t think he will change much up front as he will be going out to win the game and get us firmly climbing up the table.  I will go for a much improved performance at the back and West Ham to win 2-0 with goals coming from Payet and Zaza.  We will have to wait another week for Antonio to do his Haka Hammer.