In the last Premier League clash of this weekend’s round of action, stuttering West Ham United are set to welcome the challenge posed by Freddie Ljungberg’s transitional Arsenal side. The Hammers picked up a confidence boosting victory against the Gunners’ London rivals Chelsea in recent weeks and will be hoping to do a number over Arsenal as well.
The Hammers have been struggling to put points on the board as they are yet to pick up a second victory, barring the one against Chelsea, in the league since the start of October. Their next two fixtures are slightly more toned down in terms of difficulty, meaning that it wouldn’t be surprising to see Manuel Pellegrini go with an extremely attack-minded team against the Gunners.
Team News
The injuries just seem to keep piling up for West Ham this season, with Lukasz Fabianski’s long-term absence between the sticks now beginning to take it’s toll on the Hammers back-line. Manuel Lanzini – another who was eased into the side after a spell on the sidelines, picked up a shoulder injury and faces at least another month or two away from the action.
Jack Wilshere and Robert Snodgrass are both doubts to start against the Gunners as they’re both dealing with knocks from the last few games. Veteran defender Winston Reid is said to be close to a return to the first-team setup, but the likelihood of him featuring against Arsenal is quite bleak. Michael Antonio is expected to make his return to Premier League action tonight, having just returned from a serious injury.
Predicted 4-2-3-1 West Ham United Lineup Vs Arsenal
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Defence
Lukasz Fabianski’s continued absence at the back has resulted in some increased playing time for both Roberto and David Martin. But the Spaniard Roberto’s fragilities at the back means that 33-year-old Martin is set to continue between the sticks. In front of him, expect to the centre-half pairing of Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna. Fabian Balbuena’s stock has plummeted in recent weeks, on the back of some extremely questionable decision making in his own third.
Ryan Fredericks has been one of the Hammers standout performers in recent weeks with his defensive solidity as well as attacking intent. His direct forward runs have been a feature of their play, and his quality has been widely endorsed by many of his teammates. Across from him, expect to see Aaron Cresswell over on the other flank.
Midfield
Mark Noble and Declan Rice are expected to start this fixture as the double pivot in midfield, offering their more attacking players a way out from defence. The duo are adept at picking up the ball from the back-line and spreading it out onto their more creative players, effectively making them among the most important players in the West Ham squad.
Attack
Felipe Anderson should start in the number ten role just in behind the main striker, offering the midfielders a constant out-ball while under pressure. He will be supported on the front-line by Andriy Yarmolenko and Pablo Fornals on either flank. The pair are more than capable of producing moments of magic and will be expected to be at their best for this tie.
Sebastian Haller has been going through a very bad run of form in recent weeks and is expected to drop down to the bench for this tie. Michael Antonio’s timely return from injury could come as excellent news for Manuel Pellegrini, who is in urgent need of a run of victories with this West Ham United side.
