Managers have been much maligned in the past for tinkering too much with teams. Whether their hand is forced through injury or suspension, or they choose to implement a tactical tweak, if the result doesn’t go their way after 90 minutes, questions get asked. In the case of West Ham this season, most performances have been heralded as the best in recent years, although the points table probably doesn’t reflect that. Losses to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United when circumstances dictated the team should have won, and a miserable defeat to Southampton when at least a draw would have been considered the bare minimum, suggest changes need to be made to find that clinical touch. Sam Allardyce was forced to shuffle his pack for the United game, but he should use the game against QPR to utilise the strength in depth, and prove no player is indispensable.
Managers have been much maligned in the past for tinkering too much with teams.
Whether their hand is forced through injury or suspension, or they choose to implement a tactical tweak, if the result doesn’t go their way after 90 minutes, questions get asked.
In the case of West Ham this season, most performances have been heralded as the best in recent years, although the points table probably doesn’t reflect that.
Losses to Tottenham and Manchester United when circumstances dictated the team should have won, and a miserable defeat to Southampton when at least a draw would have been considered the bare minimum, suggest changes need to be made to find that clinical touch.
Sam Allardyce was forced to shuffle his pack for the United game, but he should use the game against QPR to utilise the strength in depth, and prove no player is indispensable.
Adrian:
Just about keeps his place. He is on the cusp of being dropped. He has shown serious weaknesses on crosses and bobbling shots into his body. Seems only one clanger away to losing his spot to Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Carl Jenkinson:
Takes Guy Demel’s spot at right back. He has shown enough in his substitute appearances to prove he is fit and has the ability to create chances from the flanks.
James Tomkins:
Has been the most assured centre back, and should be a sure starter. Has taken a level headed approach to distribution from the back, and seems to have signed up to the more passing-orientated football.
James Collins:
Comes in for Winston Reid. Solid and commanding, the Welshman joins Tomkins after mistakes by the New Zealand captain proved costly against Spurs and again at United.
Aaron Cresswell.
Keeps his place at left back. He has shown signs of naivety in defence, but is clearly a decent prospect and will learn from game time. No other option either.
Stewart Downing:
Has look increasingly like the player who was set to win many England caps on the left hand side, and has been one of our most consistent players at the start of this season.
Alex Song:
A world-class midfielder, and will be back up to Premier League speed in no time. Keeps his place, even if Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate were fit.
Diego Poyet:
He has been kept at the club amidst loan transfer speculation, and has been around the first team since pre-season. Has the passing ability to cover Noble’s absence
Mauro Zarate:
Comes in for Morgan Amalfitano, who didn’t bring must at Old Trafford. The Argentine has shown glimpses of magic, and against QPR, Allardyce should be going for the jugular in attack.
Diafra Sakho:
Scoring goals, looking busy – a sure starter. He has been the first player to get a run of games and goals together for the club in many-a-season.
Enner Valencia:
Missed a shocker against United, but seems to have built a great partnership with Sakho. He will get more chances, and he will score more goals.
Agree or disagree with this starting XI vs QPR? Leave your comments below.
Allardyce wont give zarate a look in now which is a joke as he looks a great little player
Something I’ve been writing about since last week. When you see that old hack Cole coming of the bench and Zarate ignored, you know not much has really changed and Zarate (injuries aside) will be Forgotten or, like Diame played anywhere except where he is effective, then, like Diame move on and score goals like crazy.
Who cares what team west ham play…. It’s only important what team QPR play…
The team that beat Liverpool is the new west ham team for me,top class performance! it’s just our luck we can’t field that team for a while. Zarate needs a chance he’s miles better than Nolan! And I’m dreading Carroll coming back cos we all know Sam loves him weather he’s on form or not! Cash out on Carroll bring lee in and buy song.
I’d keep Reid for Collins and amalfitano for zarate, don’t rate zarate.
Zarate had goal of the month August fantastic volley !! Why is he being left out especially at man u ! He’s fast doesn’t stop running a real pest for any defender !
I understand he wasn’t SAMs choice to buy ? Sam don’t snub him I hope he plays today & not Nolan !!! Nolan had a bad game for the development squad which Sam quoted !!! Not knocking our (former?) captain
He excellent when on form but woeful when not !!
cole, nolan and vaz te should be definite starters for mine.
You must be a spy mate, as those are the sort players you’d field if you wanted to lose. Let’s face it, Vaz Te is only Championship standard, Cole & Nolan for the last few minutes if you absolutely have to. None of those 3 should start, those days are well gone!
In the game that West Ham won against Liverpool 3-1, Liverpool, I thought played far better than what they did yesterday when they beat West Brom 2-1. We lost to Man U last week when we played far better than them and had 13 goal attempts as opposed to Man U’s 8. Man U did not play as well against QPR when they won 4-0 as they did against us when they won 2-1. Someone posted in an earlier article that these new players we have are well overdue for a goal feast against aginst QPR, especially after last week’s dissappointment at Old Trafford where we deserved 3 pts & got nothing, No, I feel the pressure cooker is going to burst against QPR. The someone in the earlier post said 4-0 West Ham, I feel it could be at least that, if not more, not sure about the clean sheet though. I’m a great fan of Guy Demel, but Demel is an injury doubt so I cannot include him, so I’d say; Adrian, Reid, Cresswell, Collins, Noble, Song, Kouyate, Downing, Amalfitano, Sakho, Valencia. I’m not 100% sure about Reid, Collins & Tomkins. Sam may drop Reid & leave Collins on the bench, but I think he’ll favour Tomkins as he normaly does. Reports say Jarvis has recovered from injury, but no, leave him on the bench for now, and I’m sorry Harry Redknapp, but business is business, COYI!
Sorry, I forgot Kouyate is injured so I have to change him for Diego Poyet
That wasn’t a very convincing display West Ham, but well done, you got the 3 points, as Harry obviously did his homework on us & made things tough, and we kept the clean sheet which is great. And Valencia has showed to us that he is more than a striker, he was involved in almost everything, and winning almost everything, so with contributions like that, I am not really too concerned that he is not getting the goals like Sakho is, but when things aren’t going well, you need men like him in and along with Downing they held us together and a great recovery after last week’ disappointment, so well done, I previously thought we’d get around 3-4 goals, but QPR were tough on the day, they had to be, and we got our 1st clean sheet, which I wasn’t expecting, so 2-0 into a long break is very satisfying