Manchester City v West Ham Preview

After Saturday’s stuttering start, the Hammers visit Manchester City on Sunday in front of the Sky cameras.  It’s definitely an interesting time to be visiting Eastlands, with City seemingly in some disarray.  The savvy appointment of Mark Hughes was followed by strange goings-on behind the scenes, with players allegedly being touted for sale behind his back.  And City did not get off to the best of starts, with a 4-2 defeat at Villa on Sunday..

As for the Hammers, the good news is that Ashton’s injury appears to be cramp and not much more and he thinks he will be fit for Sunday.  There are two changes I’d make to the squad (assuming Macca is not back).  I’d give Freddie Sears a run out and place Carlton on the bench.  I don’t think Sears should be starting every game but I reckon he will really un-nerve an already hesitant City defence.  The other change, and I can’t entirely believe I am saying this, would be to bring in Mullins for Noble.  City would have watched how easily our midfield was over-run and we cannot let the same thing happen again.  Mullins is a better ‘stopper’ in this respect.

So my line up would be;

Green

Neill – Upson – Davenport – Behrami
Etherington – Parker – Mullins -  Faubert
Ashton – Sears

Bench; Lastuvka, Cole, Boa Morte, Spence, Reid, Noble and Bowyer

I’m feeling fairly confident about this one for some reason, If we can get an early goal I reckon we can knock the stuffing out of them and the crowd and walk away with 3 points.  Mystic Blog is predicting a 1-0 nick with Ashton inevitably getting it.  Those of you kicking themselves on not taking my 2-1 prediction last week, can make up for it by getting 8-1 for the 0-1 to the Hammers with Coral and a free £10 bet, just click below.

And a reminder the game is live on Sky.  Haven't got Sky?  What do you mean?! Click Here

Comments

[Dave Hall]

Fair line up, but don't agree with Mullins on for Noble. The guy can't be judged on the first game.

[aussi hammer]

Pretty much agree especially as there is little choice of starting 11, however I feel that LBM is going to stay unless we get late interest and the only way for that to happen is to put him in the shop window, he also had a decent game against QPR so I would swap him with Etherington, play Sears and dependent on Collins fitness play him in the back four with Neil, Davenport and Upson and move Behrami to sit just infront at the expense of Noble.
I just think we are desperately short of quality options and Man City being at home will have something to prove, forecast 2-2 with Faubert to get his first with an improving LBM.

[Simon]

Fair comment Dave and maybe I am being a little harsh, but I felt he really struggled to get any foothold on Saturday and away from home, it's even more important for us to stamp some authority on the game. Perhaps another run out could see him improve.

[IronzMan]

Are you on crack?

You would play one of THE biggest donkey's in the entire PL *Hayden Mullins* over Mark Noble?? Your crazy! Mullins should not even be at WHU, he is an embarrassment. I also have a problem with your selection of Calum Davenport. We'd be better off playing either Spence of Ngala over that useless donkey too. Davenport has the physical presence of a 9-year-old boy, has absolutely zero concentration, and just does not have the ability to play in PL. He is a Championship player at best. No point in playing him what so ever.

But Curbs prefers to pick complete s*** like him and Carlton Cole, rather than pick Sears and Spence - who have talent but not the experience, who WHU have scouted and developed. They should be getting a crack at the first team. Not playing these two-bit donkeys like Mullins, Davenport, Boa Morte, Quashie, Bowyer, Carlton Cole.

Your bench sucks too: Kyle Reid aint no good. He is a Hull player of the future. If WHU had a manger who knows what he’s doing, Junior Stanislas would either be starting, or on the bench. This kid is DYNAMITE! The only winger WHU have better currently is Faubert.

I have a massive problem with a lot of other Curbs expensive injury prone signings too. He’s squandered £50,000,000 on either injury prone players that will never play, who are on massive wages and long contracts, or just brought complete average or very s*** players.

The only quality signings made since Curbs has been manager are Julian Faubert and Berhami. The rest are just flushing transfer fees and WHU wage bill down the drain.

WHU with Curbs in charge this season, finish: 13 to 9 in the PL. Another injury prone, boring dull football, with the occasional bit of brilliance from one of the good players to make sure we don’t get relegated season.

That’s what all WHU fans have to look fwd to again, 13 to 9 in the PL.

WHU needs a new Manager, we need to sack Curbs Asap!

[IronzMan]

You lot should have some respect for a quality Home Grown Youth Product in Mark Noble.

I can’t believe people are saying drop him after Saturday. Scott Parker was a joke too! The only players who either did well or were very good were: Behrami, Ashton, Faubert, Upson and Green.

The rest were either average or useless.

Mark Noble is a class player, you lot need to show him some respect and have faith. Not say dumb s*** like: “Let’s play Hayden Mullins!” Mullins is not only s***, but also bone-idle. He does not do a thing for the team, apart from try to intercept and miss, never tackles, constantly gives the ball away, can’t defend, can’t go forward.

He is a turd! That’s a fact. He would not get in Hulls team, your talking about a Stoke City player in Mullins, and I bet even they have better than him!

[Dave Hall]

Noble will do better soon, and so will Parker. Seriously, we can't judge players like these on the first game of the season. Just look around the other teams in the premiership and see how well some of their players did. It's early days, lets not be too hasty too judge on the performance of one game, when we know these guys can deliver.

[Hammer10]

Too much vitriol and people will stop posting. Tone it down.

Now for the real stuff:

Mullins, LBM, and Davenport are bench players - useful when the game needs to change, but I wouldn't start with them. LBM should be given a chance by the fans this year: he can have an impact from the bench if he's encouraged. No one is going to play well with 35,000 arseholes booing him - how the heck does that help the team?? Wake up.

MCFC are going to come out of the blocks hard and fast. It won't last, but they will attempt to make ammends for last week - and they'll fancy their chances against us after they've watched how Wigan dominated with pace in the second half. We need to crowd midfield to stifle that, and use our speed on the wings (Behrani, Faubert, Ethers) to counterattack. We played well against them in the same fixture last year.

I like five in midfield against MCFC with Collins in for Davenport on the back four, and Behrani roaming in front of the back four. He's pacy and can counterattack quickly turning the play by getting the ball accurately up to Faubert or Ethers for a cross in to the box. Ashton up front, with LBM or Cole on later if he's slowing down. It'd be nice to squeak a win. We need to keep the pace up the whole game.

Hammer10

[Simon]

Thanks for your sensible comments Hammer10 - like I say, I am not advocating dropping Noble for the season, but for those of you who were there on Saturday, you would have to admit he was;

a. Among the poorest of our players
and
b. Things changed noticeably when Mullins came on.

I am no fan of Mullins by any means, look at some of my previous posts, I just think he needs to be considered as an option this weekend, considering the previous performance. M

arc Noble is a top lad and none of us will forget his contribution in the relegation run in, but last season? Does anyone want to point out to me a truly match winning performance from him, as I find it hard to recall one...

[Dave Hall]

I consider Noble to be more efficient than Mullins. I've not seen a match winning performance from Mullins, but with Noble he can deliver more often than him.

[frank]

C'mon City! You boys are going to lose big time! We will all be watching & laughing!