Tough one, this. Regular readers will know that here just before the starting XI is announced we at C and H try and predict the head coaches’ eleven to start for West Ham in the FA Cup third round tie away with Aston Villa.. Not our own choice, but what we think the coach will go with. As it is Graham Potter’s first XI it is doubly difficult but will be largely dictated by who is fit! We believe Jean-Clair Todibo is away receiving treatment on his injury – so that dictates only two centre backs.
Apparently Emerson is ‘doubtful’ so we’ve left him out.
Probably one session is too short to make many tactical changes so Potter will use the team in its ‘inherited’ layout: 4-3-3. A toss-up as to which goal keeper Potter will go with. Just Martin’s unscientific hunch says Areola. Paquetá on the bench? Maybe just this once until Potter gets to work on his four man ‘box’ midfield variant next week. (More on that over the weekend!)
Areola | Coufal, Mavropanos, Kilman, Wan-Bissaka| Alvarez, Soucek, Soler | Summerville, Fullkrug, Kudus
Score Predictions
Martin 1-0 West Ham (Incurable Dreamer)
Sean 1-0 West Ham ( Think he always says the same – must go and check)
Gonzo 2-1 West Ham ( Based on deep-dive analysis of likely ‘Potter Bounce’)
Matt 2-1 Villa (Pessimist or realist? Too many years of depressing cup exits to fall for the whiff of optimism in the air)
Check back in just over an hour and we will try and bring you the official starting eleven before anyone else!
And our Post-Match Analysis includes Gonzo’s famous ‘player ratings ‘and Martin’s ‘final whistle-first thoughts ‘ straight after the game so you can compare your own thoughts with ours!
