EFLCR2: Cheltenham Town 0-2 West Ham Utd (23/08/17)

[badabing]

Hammerman11, I assume you are joking. West Ham away in the cup to a lower division team and you think we'll win 4-0?

[bobd_uk]

Haksabanovic completely missing from the PL2 side playing today - wonder if that means he is lined up for some sort of part on Weds?

[Patito]

Haksabanovic completely missing from the PL2 side playing today - wonder if that means he is lined up for some sort of part on Weds?

I hope so, would like to see what he's got.

[mumbles87]

--------------Adrian

Byram---Collins--Rice-Arther

---------Fernandez--Kouyate

Snodgrass--Haksabanovic -Quina

--------------Martinez


would like to see this line up

[bubbles500]

Bilic can't afford a bad result here,I think he will go quite strong.

[CRFC Hammer]

Our U21s beat a near full strength Swindon last week who are currently top of league 2 (I know it's early days) so not too worried if some of the youngsters (Martinez and Samuelson at least) get a run out but as others have said, this is one of only two trophies we have a chance of winning this year so we need to field a side not only strong enough but with enough quality to get the job done.

[bubbles1966]

Wouldn't be greatly surprised to see:

-------------------------Adrian
Byram-----Kouyate-------Collins (C)-----Masuaku
----------------Rice-----------Obiang
--------Ayew--------Fernandes------Haksabanovic
--------------------------Sakho

Subs to be a blend of people needing 30 mins run out for fitness, youngsters who can get some time if we're cruising and a couple of game-savers if we're losing.

[the pink palermo]

A year ago we needed Payet to dig us out of the **** against Accrington Stanley .

At "home" .

[Crouchend_Hammer]

--------------Adrian

Byram---Collins--Rice-Arther

---------Fernandez--Kouyate

Snodgrass--Haksabanovic -Quina

--------------Martinez


would like to see this line up

I am sorry, but this is just mental.

We have two chances of winning a trophy this season. we have started the season with two defeats. Why on earth would any manager pick that team?

I would actually make Cheltenham favourites if we lined up like that

West ham lose and Bilic is in deep trouble. No way will he not play a strong line-up. And rightly so

By all means bring in Collins, Byram, Adrian and Kouyate, but some of our other 'first x1' players need games as well

you cannot make 11 changes and expect to a win a game, no matter who the opposition

[Aztec Hammer]

Quite right. Cheltenham will be playing a team that line up with each other week in week out and have chemistry.

We dump a mishmash of eleven players on the pitch and expect us to comfortably win just because we are registered as a Premier League team.

They'll be well up for an upset at home against a bunch of Cockneys, knowing it's live on the box as well. Just put your best team out and get through. Taking the Cup games easily and "blooding youth", most of which will end up in the Non-League is one of the worst things about football for me. Play the youth on merit, not just because they're young.

We aren't winning the Prem, we are going to finish somewhere around 11th, like last year and much like our average finish in the history of the league.

This game is easily more important than Southampton last week. Unless you get a kick out of the exhilarating idea of being allowed to stay in the Premier League.

[@dave_boy]

I've a fiver on us to win 0-5 at 40-1

More importantly, where's Wednesday night's boozer of choice in Cheltenham?!

[Hammer1972]

Our first two games have suggested to me that the league is probably out of reach this year so we should probably concentrate on the cups.

Seriously, I think he should play his absolute strongest team. Getting a convincing win on the board, even against lower league opposition, will do wonders for morale.

[mumbles87]

I am sorry, but this is just mental.

We have two chances of winning a trophy this season. we have started the season with two defeats. Why on earth would any manager pick that team?

I would actually make Cheltenham favourites if we lined up like that

West ham lose and Bilic is in deep trouble. No way will he not play a strong line-up. And rightly so

By all means bring in Collins, Byram, Adrian and Kouyate, but some of our other 'first x1' players need games as well

you cannot make 11 changes and expect to a win a game, no matter who the opposition

ok then in that case

----------------Adrian

Byram---Collins--Ogbonna--Arther

-----------Noble---Kouyate

Ayew-----Haksabanovic ----Antonio

--------------Martinez

Keep Hernandez on the bench incase he needed

Lanzini aswell to get maybe 20 mins at the end just to get some fitness

[swash]

Martinez is playing for the U23's as I speak, so doubt he'll be starting against Cheltenham

[Nesticles]

All this "pick the kids" nonsense does my head in .

This is a competitive fixture in a competition we have a chance of winning - the whole point of keeping score .

Slaven needs to be clear in his thinking , select the strongest side he has available for THIS game and then repeat the exercise for every game that follows it .The one exception I would make is to play a cup keeper .

Chuck everything at it .

Whilst I agree, a manager unsure on his future or if he is getting a new contract might see the league as his bread and butter.

[Cockneyboy311]

Got to play a strong 11! So something like,

Adrian
Byram
Oggy
Fonte
Cresswell
Noble
Kouyate
Obiang
Antonio
Ayew
Hernandez

Bench - Rice, Martinez, Collins, Masaku, Fernandez, Haksabanovic, Lanzini (if fit)

[Hammer.CA]

I've a fiver on us to win 0-5 at 40-1

More importantly, where's Wednesday night's boozer of choice in Cheltenham?!

Judging by that bet you might want to stay away from the booze for a while.

[StevePottsGoalsReel]

This has literally never happened before for me with West Ham facing a lower league side in the Cup, but...

I really think we're going to win, win comfortably, and that this will be the start of a very decent run of performances and results for us.

Begone negativity!

[sendô]

Come on you cheltnaaaaaam.

Seriously though, they might as well play in black and yellow, as this has got "classic West Ham banana skin" written all over it.

[Alfiehammer]

Working a late on Wednesday so whacked in a fake appointment 8-9 so I can hide away in the consultation room and watch the game on my iPad.

Needless to say, should the boss walk in it would be unfortunate....so I expect a full strength team in a cup we can win to make this risk worth it...