West Ham v The Arsenal, Sunday 11 February 2024, 2pm

[Mac76]

I feel a little pessimistic, maybe just because of what happened next season but while they are very up and down at the moment they have players like Ward-Prowse and Bowen who can do real damage

We need a win to keep up the pressure and to prove a point but maybe it's more likely a draw

I'd like to see Kiwior at LB and I'd also like to see ESR get another start so maybe rest Jorg and have this:

Ram, White, Bill, Gabriel, Kiwior, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, ESR, Martinelli, Havertz

Anyway 3-0 Bowen hatter

[HCZ_Reborn]

I don’t personally get why you’d ruin Kiwior by continuing to play him at left back simply because you don’t like a player. I could understand if you played Gabriel at left back because of his pace and then played Kiwior at centre back…but there we go.

Surprised if I’m honest that you wouldn’t play Jorginho considering how well he played against Liverpool. West Ham are at home they will try and come out against us, just like they did in the league cup…we need to be able to soak up the pressure.

[Marc Overmars]

Bound to be a tough game and they’ve had the better of us in recent meetings.

We owe them a good kicking so hopefully it’s tomorrow.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Bound to be a tough game and they’ve had the better of us in recent meetings.

We owe them a good kicking so hopefully it’s tomorrow.

We have an “interesting” record against them. They are always more likely to beat us at home than their place.

I remember going to a game against them at Highbury in 1994 when they won 2-0. But we in fairness played a second string side that day.

[Mac76]

I don’t personally get why you’d ruin Kiwior by continuing to play him at left back simply because you don’t like a player. I could understand if you played Gabriel at left back because of his pace and then played Kiwior at centre back…but there we go.

Surprised if I’m honest that you wouldn’t play Jorginho considering how well he played against Liverpool. West Ham are at home they will try and come out against us, just like they did in the league cup…we need to be able to soak up the pressure.

Sure, I was going to say i'd like to see the Jorg - Rice pairing again and you're probably right that's the way to go - I was trying to acommodate ESR tbh and i don't see him as a striker or a winger do it's left 8

Kiwior was very solid when he came on v Liverpool and so I think he's be fine there again, we just can't afford to surrender our LB position when as you say they have quick dangerous forward players

[HCZ_Reborn]

Personally I’m much more concerned with our ability to break them down….especially if they realise they can get away with the smash and grab they managed against us in December. If Jesus isn’t back we need players who can provide as much attacking impetus as possible. Zinchenko is good at doing that…against Forest and Palace he was one of our best players. Kiwior is much better brought on as a sub, Arteta for all his flaws is good at bringing the Ukrainian off when he’s not playing well.

ESR is better as a sub or played instead of Odegaard. But Odegaard was decent against Liverpool.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Sure, I was going to say i'd like to see the Jorg - Rice pairing again and you're probably right that's the way to go - I was trying to acommodate ESR tbh and i don't see him as a striker or a winger do it's left 8

Kiwior was very solid when he came on v Liverpool and so I think he's be fine there again, we just can't afford to surrender our LB position when as you say they have quick dangerous forward players

Kiwior is a terrible option at LB and I am not sure what you saw in the Liverpool game that comforted you

I kind of agree with HCZ that it would be better to play Gabriel there, but the thing is I don't even rate Kiwior as a CB, or really I should say I don't rate him as a decent player at all anymore.

I saw somewhere that Tomi could be back, worth trying him out even if he can only play one half.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Kiwior is a terrible option at LB and I am not sure what you saw in the Liverpool game that comforted you

I kind of agree with HCZ that it would be better to play Gabriel there, but the thing is I don't even rate Kiwior as a CB, or really I should say I don't rate him as a decent player at all anymore.

I saw somewhere that Tomi could be back, worth trying him out even if he can only play one half.

Japan got knocked out of the Asia cup a week ago, before the Liverpool game in fact….so there’s no reason he shouldn’t be fit today. I expect he will start on the bench though

[McNamara That Ghost...]

West Ham: Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek; Johnson, Ward-Prowse, Kudus; Bowen.
Subs: Fabianski, Ogbonna, Mavropanos, Cresswell, Scarles, Phillips, Cornet, Ings, Mubama.

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Rice, Havertz, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard.
Subs: Ramsdale, Cedric, Walters, Bandeira, Elneny, Jorginho, Nelson, Nwaneri, Nketiah.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Very odd line up, Mac has got his own way with Kiwior starting (although this seems to be about Zinchenko being injured which might explain why he was subbed at half time last week) and Trossard in for Jorginho (playing up front with Havertz in the Xhaka role)

This for me is the same misguided lineup that we played against them at home.