Lopetegui’s troubles are exacerbated by the reported bust-up with Jean-Clair Todibo , which means that the West Ham boss has backed himself into a corner with his defence selection as he only now has two fit centre backs to choose from.
This is the time of the week when we try to look ahead one hour and predict the starting line up – remember that this is not our preferred XI – but our best guess from what we’ve read all week as to what the head coach will nail up on the team sheet notice board at 7.45: It could well be his last team selection!
As there’s been six days since the last game, recovery period isn’t an issue for veteran keeper Fabianski so we’d expect him to start. Options of course are deeply limited now leading the line and Danny Ings fared so badly last time out: Lopetegui can gamble and use Jarrod Bowen as a striker, play Kudus in his preferred right wing role and start Summerville in his favourite position on the left.
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Or he can gamble on Niclas Fullkrug being fit enough for a frontman start with Bowen and Kudus either side in which case Summerville reverts to the bench.
Sadly, history has shown Lopetegui doesn’t set out his team to gamble but panics when the team goes behind. On that basis we’d suggest the cautious starting line up of:
Fabianski | Wan Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson | Soucek, Soler, Paquetá | Bowen (c) Ings, Kudus
With Fullkrug and Summerville entering rapidly when West Ham inevitably go behind.
Score predictions
Martin 1-1
Matt 1-1
Sean 1-0 West Ham win
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Last Time Out
West Ham V Leicester
Yes, I was the optimist who predicted a one- all draw. Fail. West Ham 1-3 Leicester was the final score. And should have been the final nail in Lopetegui’s coffin.