Julen Lopetegui looks set to name an exciting new-look West Ham team with as many as nine changes for Bournemouth.
West Ham welcome Bournemouth to the London Stadium in the second round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
Failure to seal a fourth consecutive season of European football last term means the Hammers are back in at the second round of the League Cup for the first time since 2021.
West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten have been very busy in the transfer market this summer.
Much focus has been on Lopetegui’s West Ham team selections so far.
Sweeping changes to West Ham side for cup clash?
The 57-year-old left some West Ham fans puzzled and disappointed by naming just two of his eight new signings in the starting line-up for the season-opening defeat to Aston Villa.
When the Spaniard named the same team for the trip to Palace last time out, many supporters were starting to voice their frustrations.
Now West Ham are back at home against Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup – a competition many feel the club can realistically look to try and win with their much-improved squad.
The attendance is expected to top 50,000 for the match thanks to the club seeing sense and setting reasonable prices.
Those in attendance look set to be treated to a first glimpse of several summer arrivals.
Ahead of the game West Ham have confirmed four new signings are likely to make their first starts.
Lopetegui makes nine West Ham changes for Bournemouth?
It certainly promises to be sweeping changes as Lopetegui rotates his squad which now boasts some serious quality in depth.
We predict Lopetegui names an exciting new-look team with nine West Ham changes for Bournemouth.
Lukasz Fabianski should come in for undisputed number one Alphonse Areola in goal in change number one from the side which started at Palace.
In defence it will be very interesting to see who starts at right-back.
It was only a matter of time before Aaron Wan-Bissaka replaced Vladimir Coufal as a starter for the Hammers.
Many West Ham fans feel that time has come after Wan-Bissaka’s brilliant second half cameo at Palace helped the Hammers beat his old club 2-0.
Hammers new boys get first starts
Wan-Bissaka is certain to start against Man City in the Premier League at the weekend.
That in itself raises the question as to whether he will start against Bournemouth.
The club has suggested he will. But it could be that Coufal will start as the new second choice right-back. We think Wan-Bissaka will be given an hour, though, after a lack of action in the last two weeks to get him ready for the visit of the champions.
Jean-Clair Todibo should come in for his first West Ham start, probably in place of Max Kilman, who will be rested ahead of Man City.
Aaron Cresswell will come in at left-back in place of Emerson in change number four.
Edson Alvarez will start in place of Guido Rodriguez in change number five in central midfield.
Tomas Soucek will drop out for James Ward-Prowse in change six.
Kudus and Mavropanos to keep their places?
And West Ham’s Brazilian magnifico Lucas Paqueta will be replaced by new boy Crysencio Summerville – an unused sub at Palace – in change number seven.
Mohammed Kudus is expected to keep his place but will play in the centre instead of Paqueta with Dutchman Summerville on the left.
Captain Jarrod Bowen will drop out with Brazilian teen sensation Luis Guilherme – who has not been in either of the Premier League squads thus far – getting a chance to show what he can do on the right in an eighth change.
The ninth and final change will see Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug get his first Hammers start in place of Michail Antonio after two cameo second half sub appearances thus far.
Predicted West Ham starting XI to face Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup:
Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Todibo, Cresswell, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse, Kudus, Summerville, Guilherme, Fullkrug.
If the match ends in a draw after 90 minutes, then the tie goes straight to a penalty shootout at the London Stadium.
The draw for the third round will be made after the game at approximately 10.15pm live on Sky Sports.
The third round draw is a lot more complicated this season due to the expansion of UEFA’s European competitions.
West Ham vs Bournemouth at the London Stadium in the Carabao Cup second round kicks off at 7.45pm.
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