Whilst many Hammers fans were angry at the Wigan result on Tuesday, I certainly tried to be more philosophical. Last season we went out of the cups to Aldershot and Sheffield Wednesday, yet managed to achieve our primary goal, and I’m happy to sacrifice a cup run for league stability, at least for a season. The game also gave Sam a chance to see those knocking on his door, and as he suggested, not all of them took the opportunity too well.
So Monday sees us up against QPR, a team I’d really like to beat. Perhaps it’s because Kieron Dyer has the audacity to turn out for them or that they have the readily-dislikeable Cisse in their team, or even Tony Fernandes, but I just don’t like them very much. I also think they are very beatable and it’s an away game we should be picking up points from. They should fear us, not the other way round. To that end, I’d send out a strong team with the new boys featuring
Bench: Henderson, Macca, Vaz Te, Tomkins, Maiga, Hall and O’Neill
RVT is losing a bit of form and think he could do with a reminder he is not an automatic choice. Yossi has looked like his old self when he come on and I think he can give a dodgy QPR defence some trouble. We should be making the most of Matt Jarvis, rather than wasting balls into the box. I reckon we can get something here and am going for a 1-3 win to the Hammers, come on you Irons!If you fancy your chances you can go to http://www.freebets.org.uk
Some stats about both teams provided by my friends at EA Sports below…
- Ji-Sung Park has continued to successfully integrate himself into the QPR midfield. He’s completed more passes than any other R’s player, 123, according to the EA Sports Player Performance Index.
- Adel Taarabt has been trying to contribute with goals from midfield for QPR this season. All 7 of his shots on goal this season have been on target.
- Nedum Onuoha has been turning in some very solid performances for QPR in recent weeks. His 11 interceptions, 92% challenge success rate and 1 foul mark him out as a key man at the back for Mark Hughes’ side.
- A dramatic equaliser from Kevin Nolan rescued a point for West Ham against Sunderland last weekend. It was a fitting goal from the man who had repeatedly tested the Black Cats’ resolve, and just reward for the pressure and dominance exerted by Sam Allardyce’s men.
- West Ham’s Mark Noble is second in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for total distance covered so far this season, covering 33.93 miles for West Ham.
- Noble’s contribution has gone a long way to West Ham being the third highest team overall for distance covered as a squad, with 306.64 miles covered so far.
- Noble is supported by team mate Kevin Nolan who is 7th for overall distance covered with 30.53 miles.
- James Collin’s continues to be integral to the functioning of West Ham’s defence. He’s made 28 interceptions this season, double that of his nearest team mate in the Hammers’ squad.
- Noble has also won more tackles than any other player in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index with 19 so far. Noble attempted ten in the Sunderland game alone, a high for the last round of games.
- Noble and Nolan will come up against another typically hard working midfielder in QPR midfielder Ji-Sung Park who has covered 30.11 miles so far this season, enough for 10th place in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
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