Rice to captain youngster-heavy team? West Ham vs. Macclesfield Town team prediction

West Ham drew the lowest remaining team in the Carabao Cup in Macclesfield Town and must make a statement and win to keep their momentum moving forward. With a midweek match, how will West Ham tackle this opponent while staying fresh for Manchester United on the weekend?

There are two massive requirements for West Ham in how the squad selection is handled for Macclesfield Town: keep the starters rested, but stay strong enough to dominate the match. The first obstacle comes in the formation.

Formation: 4-3-3

West Ham have two positive results from two matches, both using this formation. It clogs the midfield with three defensive-minded players, and piles on skillful wingers that are dangerous from range. It should be a plug and play formation moving forward until the team is comfortable enough to riff on it, but until then keep it structure the same.

Now, onto the team selection. The draw of Macclesfield Town is extremely important because it will allow for Premier League starters to be rested simply due to this clubs standing (bottom of their league) in Englands League Two.

Wimbledon came at a time where a win, regardless of opposition, was desperately needed for the psyche of the West Ham players. Macclesfield Town comes to London with West Ham confident and motivated to continue their success. It wouldn’t be incorrect to say West Ham’s main focus is on their home match with Manchester United on the weekend, but there will certainly be a strong enough team to flatten the League Two side even with academy players in the lineup.

Here it is, a position by position prediction:

Keeper: Adrian

If anyone needs a rest so far this season it is Lukasz Fabianski. He has made the second most saves in the Premier League with 30 and has kept West Ham afloat for much of the season so far. Adrian has been a good soldier for Pellegrini and is a trusted no-brainer to start in this match. He deserves some match time.

Fullbacks: Aaron Cresswell, Ryan Fredericks

Masuaku has taken the reins from Cresswell in the starting XI based on recent performance so it only makes sense that West Ham’s second choice left-sided fullback gets a run on the pitch for Macclesfield Town. He is okay defensively and can whip in a good cross, but he has some mental weaknesses in his game. For his sake and for the team’s sake Cresswell needs to take this opportunity and use it to the best of his ability.

Ryan Fredericks for Zabaleta is pretty straightforward; Zabaleta is the starter and Fredericks needs some time to get back up to game speed after getting passed in the depth chart. Fredericks was a standout for Fulham last season in their promotion campaign but his inability to take control of his own future at the Premier League level really shows how different the two leagues are.

Center Backs: Angelo Ogbonna, Reece Oxford

Angelo Ogbonna is the veteran center back on the squad but has been unseated by Diop and Balbuena in the starting XI. His desire to compete is never in question, but his defensive coverage and decision making often leave him and his team exposed. He was dropped but this is a good opportunity for him to get back into game action and build some confidence.

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Reece Oxford is probably a name that was unexpected by anyone reading this but trust me, it makes sense. Oxford has captained every match of the U23 season so far and is a highly touted prospect regardless of his attitude off the pitch. He has looked solid for a team that has been unpredictable so far, but entertaining. He played on September 22nd but should still be fit to play on Wednesday for the club.

At 19 years old Oxford needs to make a statement regarding his future, and if he can take an opportunity like this Macclesfield Town match and run with it there may yet be a future for the young English defender at West Ham.

Central Midfielders: Carlos Sanchez, Moses Makasi, Declan Rice

After a solid match against Arsenal, Carlos Sanchez has been relegated to bench duty due to his game losing giveaway against Wolves. He is a European football veteran and needs game time as much as any bench player so a start for him was always going to be the move for this match. His experience should also help settle what I am predicting to be a young side.

Young side? Yup, and Moses Makasi factors into this. This player who I really can’t call a youngster anymore (23) needs to either show up for West Ham or move on in his career. He has been eclipsed by Rice amongst other development squad players and is running out of time to prove his value. He has looked good this season for the U23 team so there may be something left for Makasi, but it’s now or never.

Finally, Declan Rice rounds out the midfield. He has started four matches this season including the AFC Wimbledon win so he is relatively fresh and at 19 years old, there is no real doubt that he has the energy to play.

The match should be important for Rice because I believe he should have the armband on as team captain. As mentioned it will be a young team of which he’ll know many players, giving both them and him confidence in his ability to lead. It’s the perfect opportunity to start giving the young lad some more responsibility

Attackers: Robert Snodgrass, Lucas Perez, Michail Antonio

To start out the attack selection is Robert Snodgrass. He can whip in some dangerous free kicks, crosses, corners, and through balls which will allow West Ham to attack Macclesfield Town on all fronts. He runs his boots off every time he gets on the pitch and should set a positive example for the youngsters in the team. He can also support someone like Rice at captain almost acting as a vice-captain when on the field. If he starts, he’ll be on the scoresheet.

Lucas Perez over Chicharito for two reasons. First, Chicharito has been out sick and missed two matches so he probably isn’t in game shape just yet. Second, Perez deserves a start after getting his name dragged in the mud by the media after a false story was published about him. He is a solid player and one who can perform at the Premier League level, so Macclesfield Town should have their hands full with this experienced striker.

And finally, Michail Antonio to finish up the team selection. Antonio is a fragile player both physically and mentally. Allowing him to go at a League Two side could help him reestablish himself as a legitimate attacking threat and potentially feed his ego to perform at the Premier League level. Antonio has had a ridiculous drop off in form from the final season at Upton Park, if Pellegrini can get the best out of him once again then West Ham will be a lot better off, but that puzzle is proving harder to solve than expected. Perhaps a feast on some League Two defenders could be the first step in the right direction.

The bench should be as follows: Fabianski, Diop, Balbuena, Powell, Obiang, Yarmolenko, Chicharito

Let me know if you agree or disagree on twitter here!