West Ham: A few starting XI question marks to solve vs. Wolves

After over 100 days off, West Ham will face off against Wolverhampton this weekend. Before the matchup, however, Moyes will have some questions to answer positionally.

For West Ham, this match has the potential to open up everything in all of the right ways. For David Moyes, this match has the potential for headaches and dilemmas. Previously, Moyes was continually changing formations, even during the games, but after success with the 4-4-2, it’s safe to say that might be the winner. But who honestly knows at this point.

So, even if Moyesy has found the secret scenario as far as formations go, he still has dilemmas positionally to work out. With a plethora of options down the wings and up the middle, that will be a question needing answering for sure. However, the right-back slot has been a position on fire at the moment, so we might as well start there.

Ngakia, Fredericks, and Johnson, or Zaba?

We all know the reason for the continual chat about the right-back slot, and it’s all thanks for Jeremy Ngakia (or the board). Either way, his lack of a future at West Ham leaves this slot vulnerable, if it wasn’t already that way. With he or the board’s inability to make a new deal work, it almost feels pointless to play him.

West Ham: Starting XI question marks vs. Wolves

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For that reason, and that reason alone, it might be time to give Ryan Fredericks a shot again. The speedster is fully fit once more and ready to go. It might be beneficial to get him going and have Ben Johnson sitting on the bench. One, to backfill and two, gain experience over the next few weeks.

Down the middle of the pitch

The ideal West Ham defensive midfield had been Mark Noble and Declan Rice for most of the season. That is until Tomas Soucek messed that up by being a unique find. However, these 3 aren’t the only options moving forward. In a surprising turn of events, Jack Wilshere is healthy once more. Decisions, decisions are to be made in this one.

It might not be the most popular move, but the right one is to bench Mr. West Ham and start both Rice and Soucek next to each other. Their combination of youth and elusiveness has been hugely helpful, especially with more players attacking forward and their added need to defend. The only place Wilshere may show up is the bench, but if fit, he’s not a wrong sub if needed.

Packed from the outside looking in

You can almost bet that Sebastien Haller and Michail Antonio will be starting up front, but who will fill in on the wings? The last time out, we saw Pablo Fornals and Jarred Bowen. Since then, Andriy Yarmolenko, Felipe Anderson, and Manuel Lanzini are all fit. Even making matters worse, and probably getting the snub out of this deal, is Robert Snodgrass.

After how his season has gone, and how his Hammers campaign took off, Bowen should get the nod on the right side, leaving Yarmo and McMessi to fend for a bench slot. On the left side, however, is a question that has probably already aged Moyes quite a bit.

On the one hand, you have the newer Fornals who has come on as of late, but that was over three months ago. On the other, you have the record signing Brazilian who, if reformed, can be a danger to any team’s defence. If I had to pick right now, I would go with Fornals, and keep the lineup reasonably similar. Ask me tomorrow, or later this week, who knows.

Next. Ben Johnson has a huge opportunity ahead of him. dark

Whatever is decided by Moyes, and whatever answers he choices for these question marks, one this is for sure; football is almost back. After two somewhat impressive “warm-up” matches, confidences should be high going into this weekend. All that’s left is the lineup.