Predicting West Ham’s Starting XI for Selhurst Park
By Adam Smith
West Ham are at a crossroads when it comes to team selection: keep a midfield-heavy team that succeeded against Liverpool, or return to the formation that led them to success in December against mid to lower table teams.
Never change a winning team? Situationally create your team to best fit the opposition? Just play your players where they are most comfortable and better suited? Difficult decisions lie in front of Manuel Pellegrini ahead of the Irons’ trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace.
My answer? A hybrid of a 4-2-3-1 that falls back into a 4-3-3 should Palace start dominating the game. Let’s attack this positionally:
Keeper: Set with Fabianski. There are only about 4-5 teams that could honestly say they wouldn’t like to have him in between the posts for their side and West Ham are certainly no different.
Right-back: Ryan Fredericks really looked good against Liverpool, didn’t he? He was the fastest player on the pitch (sorry not sorry Salah), joined the attack at blinding speed, looked solid defensively, and matched the speed of the Reds’ offense with ease. It’s hard to drop him from this team right now.
Zabaleta could be brought back into the first team if Pellegrini decides he doesn’t need the pace of Fredericks. Zabaleta still gets forward into the attack quite often and overlaps extremely well. Was Fredericks use a one-game tactic? Who knows, but I can’t find a reason to take him out of the team.
Hot. Ogbonna and Diop face different challenge at Palace. light
Centre-backs: These two pick themselves. Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna showed on Monday that they can work together to be defensively sound and smash their opposition by stepping up into the play and covering for each other where they can. They will likely have to return to the high line defending Pellegrini has drilled them on all season which does create some tension on the back line.
Left-back: It really isn’t a question anymore that Aaron Cresswell is West Ham’s starting left-back. He is defensive enough that teams can’t target him as an open door like against Masuaku and his crossing is enough of a plus offensively that he still greatly impacts West Ham going forward.
Holding Midfield: Declan Rice is a no brainer. The young player of the year in the Premier League (I’m calling it now, quote me) has done wonders for West Ham in his new midfield role and was credited after the Liverpool match with his superb defensive play. He also nearly had a goal and is gaining confidence to move up the pitch more freely.
Today’s tea:
— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 7, 2019
) ) )
) ( ) ) )
_(___(____)____(___(__ (_
\ Mark Noble’s / _
\ passing is / |
\ hugely /____|
\ underrated /
\____________/ pic.twitter.com/P1kGdEt3L7
Mark Noble should be Rice’s partner in a holding pair. The more adventurous of the two midfielders looked incredible against Liverpool, winning back possession and outletting to his forwards with precision and skill (please see above tweet). This match has a Mark Noble card written all over it, though, lets hope it’s just yellow.
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Central Attacking Midfielder: The intensity and skill Robert Snodgrass brings to West Ham has been irreplaceable this season, so he should naturally step into the #10 position on the pitch. He can ping a pass, rip a shot, or slot a through-ball better than any Hammer right now and has the ability to pull the strings offensively from the midfield.
He showed that he can also join a midfield three to provide more defensive coverage against Liverpool and can dynamically play this position if he needs to. This will be the lynchpin in Pellegrini’s formation; Snodgrass’ fluidity of positioning provides options for a dynamic formation.
Right Winger: The man-of-the-match and club-proclaimed B E A S T from the Liverpool match has been a revelation in recent weeks with his power and pace. Michail Antonio is another no-brainer for the starting XI. He has earned some time off, though, with his bad back following the Liverpool match and could cede late game minutes to Diangana.
Left Winger: The staple, the mainstay, Felipe Anderson is the obvious and only choice for West Ham’s leftwing. The Brazilian orchestrated the goal against the Reds on Monday with an intricate freekick routine involving Robert Snodgrass as the tee and Michail Antonio as the goalscorer. Felipe is just so good and West Ham will need him to recapture the magic of the wonderful curler he scored against Palace earlier this year.
Striker: Controversial, but Chicharito deserves another look. He already is unsettled and temperamental with his playing time but he looked good in the first half on Monday and doesn’t deserve to get dropped for Marko Arnautovic. Arnautovic, who missed the Liverpool match with a bruise on his foot, is training and available for selection which certianly begs the question from Pellegrini.
Must Read. West Ham face Arnie decision for Crystal Palace match. light
A halftime substitution for Hernandez for Arnautovic is the perfect situation. Chicharito gets to keep his high-tempo press against Palace for the first 45 and then the (hopefully) motivated wrecking ball of Austrian angst can come on and try to win back the adoration of supporters. It also safeguards Arnautovic from a full 90-minutes after his injury and rewards Chicharito with another star which he’s earned.
Alright here it is:
Fabianski
Zabaleta – Diop – Ogbonna – Cresswell
Noble – Rice
Antonio – Snodgrass – Anderson
Chicharito