18 Sep 2021 22:47:14
It’ll be interesting to see what side Bielsa puts out at Fulham on Tuesday. May well have changed his mind over the last week or so. With injuries mounting up, he might go with more u23s than originally planned, to help safeguard more first teamers for West Ham at the weekend.

1.) 19 Sep 2021
19 Sep 2021 07:38:02
I’m happy to go straight out against Fulham tbh.
Maybe play cooper, roberts, shacks, firpo, James. Rest the rest.

2.) 19 Sep 2021
19 Sep 2021 07:46:15
It will indeed. Our intention earlier in the season was to field strong teams in the cup to see if we could make headway but like you say injuries and our results so far may have changed things. On the other hand if we field a string team and win it might be good for the mentality of the players and give them more confidence and belief for Wet Sham which looks to beacking somewhat of late.

3.) 19 Sep 2021
19 Sep 2021 09:35:29
Tend to agree with you Aus, not too bothered about the Mickey Mouse Cup which hurts to say it as one who, when young, made a day of it. Watching ALL the run up to the game, the game itself and all the afters. Not for many programmes, but for this day, the front room curtains got drawn to get a better picture much to the annoyance of my mam who said all the neighbours will think someones died!
A repeat of last year but our main aim is to stay in the Prem.

4.) 19 Sep 2021
19 Sep 2021 12:36:15
I’d quite like to see Drameh get a chance at RB, with Shack moved to CM. Hopefully Cresswell will get a chance from the start, the way things are going, we may need him in the Prem soon, and going up against Mitrovic would be decent preparation for what may be to come.

It’ll be interesting to see who plays at DM, probably shouldn’t risk KP, but all three of the presumed first team backups (Struijk, Koch and Forshaw) are out. Seem to recall Klich played there on one occasion, though will any distinction, part of a second half, and neither Dallas nor Shack would seem particularly suited either. The U23 options would seem to be Jenkins, Kenneh or Bate, though it may be a little early for Bate in terms of his Bielsaball education. Of course he might just think, sod it, and play KP anyway as our game revolves around that role, and if we are to have multiple u23s elsewhere in the team, to give them their best chance to shine it would be best to have an experienced hand at the centre, holding it all together, for the first hour at least.