A week off from Premier League action is a godsend for the limping West Ham squad David Moyes has at his disposal. That being said, the FA Cup match against Derby does provide a serious opportunity for the Hammers to mix things up and win in a different manner.
Give Youth a Chance!
The striker crisis at West Ham is a serious problem for the team moving forward. Gianluca Scamacca is out with an injured knee and his replacement transfer, Danny Ings, managed to hurt his knee in an 18-minute cameo during his first match as a Hammer.
That leaves underperforming Michail Antonio left to spearhead the West Ham attack. History shows that Antonio, the Irons’ Premier League goal-scoring leader of all time, can and will do a solid job up top. Still, recent comments in interviews suggest he is speaking with other clubs about a move away amidst this latest relegation battle.
West Ham cannot afford to miss the many opportunities this FA Cup tie offers.
Bad timing is an understatement for the Antonio media mess. Without him, West Ham has but one option – the on-fire striker Divin Mubama of the Academy of Football. The 18-year-old centre-forward has done wonders this season with the Academy team and is poised for a call-up to the first team.
What Mubama brings is intelligent interplay with his wingers and support attackers while providing a boost of pace to put pressure on the backline. In 11 Premier League 2 matches this season he has racked up 6 goals and added one assist. In all competitions (20 matches) he has an impressive 12 goals and 3 assists.
Mubama could very well start this match for the Hammers. Manager David Moyes will likely opt for the experienced Antonio up top but this FA Cup tie should be a chance to keep him on the bench if possible to preserve his hamstrings for a string of tough and must-win league matches.
Alongside Mubama the Hammers squad could feature 17-year-old midfielder Ollie Scarles, 20-year-old wide midfielder Dan Chesters, and 20-year-old forward Mipo Odubeko. There are a few names to watch for and no better time than now to get them in the mix.