West Ham (H) 6/4: Build-Up & Match Thread

[Deutsch Wolf]

With us in direct competition with West Ham for one of those European spots (still, for now) this is not a game we can afford to lose. Neither team in the best of recent form (0 wins in 4 for them, 1 win in 5 for us in all comps) but we know that Bowen and Antonio in particular have caused us serious problems in the past, and set pieces are a key area for them, so we need to be at it.

I didn't see Tuesday's game so can't offer any comment on how ready Cunha looked to make a longer appearance. I'd be minded to pick him from the start here if we possibly can as the games are running out; it might be that he's not going to be at full pelt until the back end of the month but by then it could be too late for our hopes.

-------------------------Sa-----------------------

---------------S Bueno---Kilman---Toti--------------

Semedo--------Lemina-----J Gomes--------H Bueno

--------------Sarabia----Cunha---Ait-Nouri------------

2023/24: L 0-3 (A)
2022/23: W 1-0 (H), L 0-2 (A)
2021/22: W 1-0 (H), L 0-1 (A)
2020/21: L 2-3 (H), L 0-4 (A)
2019/20: W 2-0 (H), W 2-0 (A)
2018/19: W 3-0 (H), W 1-0 (A)
2015/16: L 0-1 (A, FAC)
2010/11: D 1-1 (H), L 0-2 (A)
2009/10: L 0-2 (H), W 3-1 (A)
2004/05: W 4-2 (H), L 0-1 (A)
2003/04: L 1-3 (H, FAC)

Wolves vs West Ham, 2004-2023

Can you name the Wolves goalscorers vs West Ham, 2004-2023?

www.sporcle.com

 

[Tredman]

That’s pretty much the only sensible team.

 

[Dire Wolf]

It has to be that team really. It puts our best available attacking players all on the pitch together. Only other option might be to bring Dawson back into defence if he's fit for the weekend. Though I'm not as down on Santi Bueno as some are, I think he's done no worse than Kilman or Toti.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Yeah, I'm working on the basis that Dawson won't be available. If he is then I'd play him.

 

[YoungWolf]

Apparently Hwang might be in the squad? Hopefully we could start Cunha and replace him with him maybe

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Last I heard Gaz say on Hwang was that it would be 6-7 weeks from when he got injured (28th Feb) so that would put him out of the timeframe for this game, but I've been a bit out of the loop this week so may have missed something.

If Cunha can give us 60 mins and Hwang 30 that would be great.

 

[Tredman]

Hwang seems to take a long time to return from injury and then plays pretty poorly for the first few games.

 

[YoungWolf]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1775270228404142277

But agree, I wouldn’t be counting on him anyway.

 

[Dire Wolf]

Hwang seems to take a long time to return from injury and then play pretty poorly for the first few games.

And then get injured again very easily...

 

[The Bear]

This was pre-Villa:


Hwang is out with a hamstring complaint and was expected to be back around mid-April, if all goes well.

But O'Neil now hopes he may be back slightly quicker than that.

He said: "He's on the grass and working hard on his own.

"His hamstring feels good and he feels good, so we're just trying to get him through all the tests and over the hurdles that make it safe for him to come back in.

"He's not too far away. Hopefully he can shave a little bit off that three weeks from now."


More likely next weekend at the earliest.

 

[Tony Towner]

GON said the medical advice for Cunha on Tuesday was 20 mins at the most, so difficult to see that changing to 45plus in a few days.

Given our remaining fixtures I think we are getting close to must win

 

[sycophantia]

To retain any hope of Europe we have ro win this surely. I'd love Cunha to be starting but think it unlikely.

 

[Lycan]

Got to be honest I'm now at the stage where I'm more worried about finishing 13th (and the effect that would have on our summer transfer window) than worrying about Europe.

We'd need a serious run to make Europe, including a few results against Liverpool/City/Arsenal. I just can't see it happening after Burnley.

 

[Law's Bus]

Got to be honest I'm now at the stage where I'm more worried about finishing 13th (and the effect that would have on our summer transfer window) than worrying about Europe.

We'd need a serious run to make Europe, including a few results against Liverpool/City/Arsenal. I just can't see it happening after Burnley.

The combination of injuries to all of our forwards and the PGMOL means that yeah, it's not happening.

As Nuno said though, dreaming is for free.

 

[Tony Towner]

5 wins will do it if it goes to 8th imo which means no margin for error if you write off the 3 title chasing games. The available squad isn't capable of that though

 

[1986]

Sorry lads , is Doyle injured as well ?

 

[Dire Wolf]

Got to be honest I'm now at the stage where I'm more worried about finishing 13th (and the effect that would have on our summer transfer window) than worrying about Europe.

We'd need a serious run to make Europe, including a few results against Liverpool/City/Arsenal. I just can't see it happening after Burnley.

I think that qualifying for Europe is now a pipe dream. Our recent form and injuries have pretty much scuppered that possibility. Just finishing as high as possible should be the aim, top half would be good.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Amazing how close it is and how we're still right in the thick of things, but then mid table teams are by their nature very inconsistent, so whilst this West Ham game is huge, there is still plenty of time to go.

You would surely imagine Chelsea will sort themselves out, but who knows.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I think that qualifying for Europe is now a pipe dream.

Not when you look at the table.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Not when you look at the table.

Sometimes that doesn't tell the whole tale, like I think we technically had a chance under Lage right up to the penultimate game of the season vs Norwich. But we were patently horseshit for months and anyone with eyes knew we had no chance.

If we don't win at least one of the next two games then I think we're done. This one has the added issue of being against a direct competitor, if we were to lose are we really going to make up 6 points on West Ham from 7 games, three of them against the title contenders?