Team vs West Ham

[Oh When the Wolves]

What I want:

Sa
Semedo boly kilman ait nouri
Neves dendoncker
Traore podence hwang
Jimenez

What we will get

Sa
Kilman coady saiss
Semedo moutinho neves marcal
Trincao raul hwang

 

[dewolfman]

Think we’re gonna get sh@t on to be fair, would start traore though yeh just fight fire with fire.

 

[Wolf316]

Think we’re gonna get sh@t on to be fair, would start traore though yeh just fight fire with fire.

If he doesn’t start it must be down to his contract situation.

 

[WolfLing]

Think we’re gonna get sh@t on to be fair, would start traore though yeh just fight fire with fire.

West Ham have only lost 2 games all season!

I have a good feeling about this one.

Think Traore is due a start. I'd have him on the right and Hwang on the left.

Maybe bring Boly in too. He could work better on the left against Bowen, who would be cutting inside onto Boly's stronger foot.

 

[The Wolf In The North]

Arguments can be made for any combination up front, but if Marcal comes straight back in for Ait-Nouri, then I'll be giving a huff of stern disapproval.

Nothing can be done about the midfield, we'll struggle to live with Antonio and Fornals anyway, so might as well just go for it. Traore, Ait-Nouri and a fit and up-for-it Pod need to be on the pitch.

 

[steve vena]

I think we'll get beaten comfortably I'm afraid. They are on a high and riding the crest of a wave. We are dull and average at the moment.

 

[UEAwolf]

Hopefully the debacle of last season is watched very carefully and changes are made - Coady cannot be bullied as he was.

-----Sa----

---Semedo---Kilman---Boly---Marcal---
-----Neves---Dendoncker---Moutinho---
----Traore---Raul----Hwang----

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Big test for us and really interested to see how we do.

I watch West Ham and think they’re excellent, they have been for a while. But I look on paper and think we should have players that are close to their level (at worst). Antonio/Jimenez, Bowen/Traore, Neves/Rice, Hwang/Benrahma, Sa/Fabianski, Semedo/Johnson, etc.

I really don’t see much between the teams on paper, and we’re at home, yet I expect us to lose and I reckon most do?

Says a lot about the mentality of the clubs right now.

 

[Scallywolf]

Moyes is doing a great job and West Ham are not the soft touch they were before he became their permanent manager. He’s got them playing on the front foot, playing attacking football home and away. They don’t give away soft goals and can score against anybody.

Imo if they have a weakness it is central defence with Ogbonna and Zouma who are not the quickest. I remember the great goal Neto scored against Chelsea last season when he made Zouma look like a carthorse. Cresswell and Johnson are decent wing/full backs but if we play Adama from the start, give him a free role up front to exploit the lack of pace. Raul and Hwang together can get at them as well.

Hopefully Captain Conor will not be bullied by Antonio like last season just like our midfield was. That first half performance was woeful when we were 3-0 down. We got 2 back didn’t we but that first half performance must not be repeated.

I’ll be happy with a draw against an in form team.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

West ham are a good side now and all, and I expect them to be around the top 6, but currently there form is on a par with Man City. I think their bubble will burst a bit. Not drastically, but not potential league winning form that it currently is.

In terms of the ability of players, I think we are on a similar level.
I think if we go out and try and attack, we will get spanked. So this is a game for patience, and being content with counter attacking football. If we do that I think we'll get something out of it.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

West ham are a good side now and all, and I expect them to be around the top 6, but currently there form is on a par with Man City. I think their bubble will burst a bit. Not drastically, but not potential league winning form that it currently is.

In terms of the ability of players, I think we are on a similar level.
I think if we go out and try and attack, we will get spanked. So this is a game for patience, and being content with counter attacking football. If we do that I think we'll get something out of it.

Why will we get spanked if we go out to attack a team at home that you think we’re as good as?

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Why will we get spanked if we go out to attack a team at home that you think we’re as good as?

Because it has the last two times we tried to do it, and we still aren't very good defending in the transition.

 

[Tring Wolf]

Sa
Kilman, Saiss, Boly
Semedo, Neves, Dendoncker, RAN
Trincao, Raul, Traore

 

[Bacon Sandwich]

Have to say I am really looking forward to this game - and the one vs Burnley - simply because they'll tell us so much.

We know how both teams are going to play - so how much has Bruno learned about the PL? I'm a supporter of his but if he chooses to start Trincao on Saturday I'll be very disappointed.

Ditto Moutinho in midfield - I watched some of the Serbia game and all I saw was yet more evidence of the advancing years.

It won't happen but I'd have Boly at the back and Saiss in midfield. We need to fight fire with fire in both games. Get stuck in and give the *******s a bloody good kicking

 

[bod101]

i'd like four at the back but i dont see that happening so based on a bit more realism i would like this

Sa
Kilman coady saiss
Semedo dendoncker neves Ait nouri
traore
raul hwang​

 

[Ned]

Despite saying I’d like Traore to start on the other thread I also wouldn’t hate this:

Sa

Kilman Coady Boly

Semedo Moutinho Saiss Neves RAN

Raul Hwang

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Arguments can be made for any combination up front, but if Marcal comes straight back in for Ait-Nouri, then I'll be giving a huff of stern disapproval.

The system does not work with marcal at lwb yet I fully expect him to play, despite ait nouri being absolutely quality.

Bruno says marcal played well for 8 games. He must have been watching a different 8 games to everyone else. Yet quickly criticizes ait nouri for not winning a defensive duel

 

[Corporate Wolf]

Moyes is doing a great job and West Ham are not the soft touch they were before he became their permanent manager. He’s got them playing on the front foot, playing attacking football home and away. They don’t give away soft goals and can score against anybody.

Imo if they have a weakness it is central defence with Ogbonna and Zouma who are not the quickest. I remember the great goal Neto scored against Chelsea last season when he made Zouma look like a carthorse. Cresswell and Johnson are decent wing/full backs but if we play Adama from the start, give him a free role up front to exploit the lack of pace. Raul and Hwang together can get at them as well.

Hopefully Captain Conor will not be bullied by Antonio like last season just like our midfield was. That first half performance was woeful when we were 3-0 down. We got 2 back didn’t we but that first half performance must not be repeated.

I’ll be happy with a draw against an in form team.

It still sends a few shivers down my spine how easily Coady was isolated and his weakness exploited in this game.
You'd like to think they have worked on this not happening again

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

I didn't post my team.

Sa
Hoever Coady Kilman Ait-Nouri
Trincao Neves Saiss Traore
Raul Hwang

Sit deep and counter.

Why will we get spanked if we go out to attack a team at home that you think we’re as good as?

Also, get west ham defending on the half way line and we've got players who can exploit that. Similarly they have players that can exploit that if we do the same.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

If we sit deep we lose,if we go all out attack we lose,so why not get back to the high press game we did so well early doors
We cannot defend deep for any length of time,so move up 5/10 yards and give our attackers some support,its the only way we get something out of these type of games really

 

[KBWWFC]

Coady cannot be bullied as he was.

We've been saying this every week since the 24th of February 2018.

 

[clivewolves]

I can see Lage lining us up in a 3-5-2 with Dendoncker coming in. I think the Palace result will be fresh in his mind and with West Ham being strong in the midfield he won't want to make the same mistake again by being outfought.

 

[AndyWolves]

My predictions

Antonio will bully Coady
Rice and Soucek with dominate Neves & Moutinho
Fornals will get a ton of space
Bowen / Benrahma will have Saiss on toast
Cresswell will get past Semedo on the overlap more than once

 

[sc91]

It'll be a slaughter. I was meant to be going to the social club on Saturday, I do not want to.

 

[Derbywolf85]

If Bruno really is picking teams on tactical merit, based on the opposition he'll have watched last seasons 2 games and give Coady a nice seat on the bench for this one, making Neves Captain.

Sa

Semedo - Boly - Kilman - Ait-Nouri

Neves - Dendoncker

Adama - Podence - Hwang

Raul​

Is what I would want - but we'll get the usual line up and he'll make substitutes 10 minutes after the game has finished and we've lost 0-3.

 

[Minimalist]

Above shows we do have plenty of good options.
I think we’ll stick to 343.
I just would like to see the squad utilised by some substitutions being made a bit earlier.

 

[HICKO]

My predictions

Antonio will bully Coady
Rice and Soucek with dominate Neves & Moutinho
Fornals will get a ton of space
Bowen / Benrahma will have Saiss on toast
Cresswell will get past Semedo on the overlap more than once

…… Adama will score/ set up three as we win 3-2
Keep the Faith

 

[Houston Lobo]

Sa
Kilman, Saiss, Boly
Semedo, Neves, Dendoncker, RAN
Trincao, Raul, Traore

If Neves can be dropped/“rested”/“rotated” then so can Coady when the need arises.

 

[Bognor_Wolf]

---------------------Sa--------------------
------Kilman------Coady------Boly---------
-Semedo-------------------------Ait-Nouri-
---------Dendoncker----Neves------------
-Traore---------------------------He-Chan-
-----------------Jimenez-------------------

 

[Houston Lobo]

Imo if they have a weakness it is central defence with Ogbonna

Out long-term with an ACL but guessing that’ll mean Dawson comes in, who is still more the old school center back rather than pace merchant.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Have to say I am really looking forward to this game - and the one vs Burnley - simply because they'll tell us so much.

We know how both teams are going to play - so how much has Bruno learned about the PL? I'm a supporter of his but if he chooses to start Trincao on Saturday I'll be very disappointed.

Ditto Moutinho in midfield - I watched some of the Serbia game and all I saw was yet more evidence of the advancing years.

It won't happen but I'd have Boly at the back and Saiss in midfield. We need to fight fire with fire in both games. Get stuck in and give the *******s a bloody good kicking

Agree with this, although the physicality isn't really going to be the problem, more the pace they have. They scored 7 goals against us last year with us backpedaling not being able to get near anybody. Let's not do the same this time; let them be the team coming on to us.

 

[Contrarian]

The system does not work with marcal at lwb yet I fully expect him to play, despite ait nouri being absolutely quality.

Bruno says marcal played well for 8 games. He must have been watching a different 8 games to everyone else. Yet quickly criticizes ait nouri for not winning a defensive duel

I like Ait-Nouiri, but Marcal does look better defensively. Depends what approach we adopt and I doubt Bruno will be thinking "Hey, we can outgun West Ham, lets go gung-ho and win 5-3" or something! Our first match against them last season was the one where we started noticable more on the front foot than usual (under Nuno), but were naive about it and got totally picked off by them. I think we had 3 at the back, too. So there you go, it's not 3 or 4 at the back it's "who" is at the back (and in the midfield...) and how they are approaching the game.

Anyway, the home match was probably even worse in the first half, one of those where we could have been 4-0 down at half time, yet somehow made it look close by making it 2-3 in the end. WHam were hanging on by the end, that whole second half evidence that there may not be too much between us after all.

I think it's more about mentality, not starting as sluggish as we did back then and still tend to do too often(though this has improved a lot under Bruno). If we can take control of the game, "set out our stall" , but not necessarily with gung-ho attacking, just don't let them dictate, then there isn't much difference between the quality of players in the teams. This is one where it's down to the manager and staff to get the best out of our lot. I reckon a top manager would be able to come up with a proverbial cunning plan to at least match them. It will need work though, not complacency.

 

[Contrarian]

If Bruno really is picking teams on tactical merit, based on the opposition he'll have watched last seasons 2 games and give Coady a nice seat on the bench for this one, making Neves Captain.

Sa

Semedo - Boly - Kilman - Ait-Nouri

Neves - Dendoncker

Adama - Podence - Hwang

Raul​

Is what I would want - but we'll get the usual line up and he'll make substitutes 10 minutes after the game has finished and we've lost 0-3.

I watched Boly play for Ivory Coast the other day. He wasn't bad, but did look rusty, a bit sluggish at times, exactly like a player who hasn't played much for months. Would rather reintroduce him to the Premier League gradually. (e.g. v Norwich rather than West Ham!)

 

[jonesy]

Sa
Semedo
Kilman
Coady
Saiss(Marcal)
Ait Nouri

Neves
Mouts

Adama
Raul
Hwang

Marcal is a cb only
Adama is ideal for this type of game

 

[ManningtreeWolf]

Sa
Semedo, Boly, Kilman, Ait-Nouri
Neves Dendonker
Podence
Traore Raul Hwang

Can't see it being that side however. Surely Boly has to come back into the 1st Eleven to counter Antonio's physicality ?

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

I’d be tempted to play boly for coady just for one game . Acknowledging coadys weakness

 

[Tarcisio Mifsud]

This is a very difficult match for Wolves, as West Ham are the in form team at present and we need to have a very good defence. I will start with players who are the freshest available.

SA
KILMAN COADY SAISS

SEMEDO NEVES DENDONCHER MARCIAL

ADAMA PODENCE HWANG

Naturally substitutions should not be left for last 10 minutes, but at least by half time or on the hour.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Jose Sa
Dendoncker Coady Kilman
Hoever Neves Saiss Ait-Nouri
Hwang Raul Podence

I’d start Podence / Adama but we all know it will be Trincao

 

[IANWILSON]

The times I've seen West Ham, they are fond of the hoof ball. If we went 3 in the middle and a flat back 4, i think we'd have more success than going ultra defensively.

 

[OLDGOLD]

We all know it will be a back 3 with Coady in if, and we all know Antonio will bully him. Please try something different Bruno.