Whilst todays game is still classed as a friendly encounter, the Hammers will use this as a dress rehearsal for the Premier League season opener next weekend.
_The ‘who, what and where’_ against OSC Lille this afternoon is likely to be a big pointer to the way in which [Graham Potter](https://www.claretandhugh.info/graham-potter-lifts-lid-on-west-ham-plans-for-michail-antonio/) intends to drill and deploy his players, having had all summer to perfect and imprint his own thoughts and demands upon the bulk of his squad.
So three key selections will speak volumes come 3.00 this afternoon.
**‘Three at the back plus wing backs’** or ‘**three-four-two-one’?** Most likely West Ham will continue the set up which was used in the USA Summer series, with three central defenders – Todibo, Kilman and Aguerd – as a back three. However he did switch to a four early on in the series so his starting deployment will likely determine the system planned for the Premier League. The second option allows Potter to be more aggressive playing his ‘box’ midfield whilst still allowing for Wan-Bissaka and Diouf to play as wingers. The days of ‘4-4-2’ appear to be long gone at West Ham.
**Ward Prowse to start in midfield:** An ever present in the USA, ‘JWP’ does seem to be Potter’s go-to man in midfield. However painful he was to watch in harness with Rodriguez or Soucek last year, if Ward Prowse starts then he’s likely to be there for the duration. We’d hope to see Freddie Potts and Alvarez – but that’d be bucking the selection used stateside so we’ll look with interest – and a certain amount of trepidation – to see if Potter has learned anything from the terrible trio of JWP Rodriguez and Soucek working as a unit. Has never, will never created anything going forward or offer mobility defensively.
**Who replaces Niclas Fullkrug** from about 65 minutes we’ll be watching to see if free signing Callum Wilson gets the call ahead of young talent Callum Marshall. The optimists would hope Marshall gets to show a London Stadium home crowd what he’s got as the future talent: The Pessimists will point to Callum Wilson- if he gets the call -as being the old sea dog likely to block Marshall’s development and make his own twenty minute entry once Fullkrug’s legs give up.
Plus of course today is not the day to talk about Potter’s ‘playing out from the back’ style as there’s no Hermansen in the squad. His signing has only just been confirmed this morning so the arrival of _full-on Potterball_ is delayed. The ‘tells’ revealed once his side takes up its place in the pitch at 3pm will do much to show us what we have in store this season.