Nuno Espirito Santo did say that he would need to refresh and rest his West Ham United squad ahead of the festive fixture schedule, starting with Sunday’s trip to Brighton and Hove Albion.
But, still, few saw this coming.
Yes, trying to predict Nuno Espirito Santo’s starting XI is like trying to guess the hand of an elite poker player these days. Whether it be Ollie Scarles at right-back, Tomas Soucek up top or Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo swapping sides, the West Ham United boss is not afraid of raising eyebrows and incurring questions.
But still, even by Nuno’s standards, the team picked to face bogey side Brighton at The Amex felt pretty odd.
Forgotten man Guido Rodriguez returns to the West Ham team sheet for the first time since the 3-0 defeat by Sunderland on the opening weekend. If that was not surprising enough, out go the in-form Freddie Potts and Soungoutou Magassa, alongside Tomas Soucek and Callum Wilson. Nuno opting to go without a recognised ‘number nine’ on the South Coast.
West Ham United fans baffled as Guido Rodriguez replaces Soungoutou Magassa
Now, Nuno has earned himself the benefit of the doubt following eight points from the last 15 available.
But if West Ham fail to beat Brighton for the 16th time in 17 top-flight meetings, you do not to be an expert soothsayer to guess what the post-match autopsy will focus on.
“I give up,” one fan writes on X after seeing the much-maligned Kilman come back in and Rodriguez make his return after nearly four months away.
“Changing formation and dropping Magassa and Potts. So confusing. If we lose this, I am gonna be close to Nuno out,” another says.
The alternative angle of course is that, if Nuno masterminds a win at a stadium where they have triumphed only once since 2017, his supposed ‘madness’ will quickly be retconned as a ‘masterstroke’.
Let’s just hope the post-match response is a lot kinder to the coach’s team selection.
Rodriguez return labelled ‘mind-boggling’ ahead of Brighton clash
Brighton’s midfield pairing of Carlos Baleba and Diego Gomez possesses boundless energy and supreme mobility. It is admittedly difficult to imagine Rodriguez, who has looked ill at ease with the pace of English football ever since arriving from Real Betis, lasting the pace.
Magassa and Potts were outstanding at Old Trafford, making 13 tackles and interceptions between them.
“Magassa and Potts on the bench?” another bemused fan says.
“Dropping Magassa after that performance and Freddie Potts is actually mind boggling.”
“Now post the real lineup admin.”
“Rodriguez? Potts on the bench? Potentially a must-win game and he is [messing] around with the starting XI again.”
How highly do YOU rate Freddie Potts? And what does the future hold for him at West Ham?
“What in the hell is that team? You’ve got a striker in Wilson who’s in form and he drops him for Bowen who can’t play up front. It never works! Magassa has the game of his life and he’s dropped for Guido. What is going on? This is diabolical from Nuno.”
“Rodriguez starting? No Potts? Five at the back? This is 100 per cent a loss.”
“Magassa and Potts dropped, and what makes it worse Magassa was Man of the Match [against Manchester United]. We are clowns!”
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