Hammers boss David Moyes makes two West Ham changes and a formation switch for the big clash at London rivals Chelsea.
In what is one of the most difficult predicted teams of the season so far – and perhaps most futile come 1pm – we believe Moyes makes two West Ham changes and a formation switch for Chelsea.
West Ham are suffering a defensive crisis at the worst possible time with Kurt Zouma and Issa Diop joining Angelo Ogbonna on the sidelines.
As discussed on Hammers News yesterday, Moyes has three realistic alternatives to deal with the absence of Zouma and Diop at left centre back.
And we believe we will see Moyes experiment with one of those alternatives at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
A win for West Ham would put them back above Manchester United into sixth – a Europa League spot for next season.
But winning the Europa League would reward West Ham with automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League group stage.
Predicted: David Moyes makes two West Ham changes and formation switch for Chelsea
With the huge Europa League semi-final first leg against Eintracht Frankfurt looming large on Thursday night, Moyes is facing a difficult dilemma in how best to manage his shallow and ever evaporating squad.
With so much to play for in the Premier League it is highly unlikely Moyes will look to rest any players ahead of Thursday night.
So we predict Moyes will make two West Ham changes and a formation switch for Chelsea from the side that started the draw with Burnley last time out.
Moyes will switch to a back five with Ben Johnson and Aaron Cresswell playing as RCB and LCB either side of Craig Dawson.
The first change will see Vladimir Coufal come in for the injured Diop and take up the right wingback role.
The second change will see Pablo Fornals come back into the side at left wingback, where he has been deployed on several occasions previously.
West Ham’s Spanish cockney will replace Nikola Vlasic.
Interestingly Moyes lined up with a back five when West Ham beat Chelsea 3-2 at the London Stadium back in December.
That day Zouma and Diop partnered Dawson in central defence with Coufal RWB and Johnson LWB. But the former went off injured against his old club and Moyes switched to a back four mid-game.
How West Ham would love a repeat of the result from that game.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Chelsea:
Fabianski, Coufal, Johnson, Dawson, Cresswell, Fornals, Rice, Soucek, Lanzini, Bowen, Antonio.
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