West Ham (a) build up

[pondus]

Very narrow pitch at theirs - I'd be slightly tempted to go 3-5-2 with Sakho in alongside Agger and Skrtel to tackle the aerial threat. Only trouble with that though is that you've got to leave out two of Allen, Sterling and Coutinho. So, I reckon we might carry on as we have been away from home - same back four, Allen in for Coutinho or Sterling (probably Coutinho). We can always change it from the bench if it becomes obvious that it's not working.

Or we could go

Mig
Skrtel, Sakho, Agger
Johnson, Hendo, Gerrard, Allen, Sterling
Suarez, Sturridge

[calvoboy]

Or we could go

Mig
Skrtel, Sakho, Agger
Johnson, Hendo, Gerrard, Allen, Sterling
Suarez, Sturridge

exactly! Don't think West Ham away is the game to experiment with Sterling at wing-back...or to leave Flanno out with the form he's in.

[cream]

I'm dreading it. Big Sam will motivate them to no end.

Big Andy, Downing have something to prove against us.

Both are ****ing ****, no need to prove it, we already know.

[BigChief]

Both are ****ing ****, no need to prove it, we already know.

[DKdan]

I don't like the 3-5-2... of all the systems we have played, its the one I like the least.

TBH I dont think its about a system countering the fat sam tactics, its about showing up with the attitude to fight, tackle and press. We need to stand up to Diame, Nolan and Carroll. If we do that, it will give us the platform to perform, regardless of system - and then we will win, no doubt. But we really need to show up.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

I'm confident, more so after yesterday's result.

Their win means that other than the usual suspects (Downing, Carroll), the rest of the team have no real reason for a fight, for a scrap of the points.

Their alehouse lump to the lump upfront tactic can hurt us, especially if we persist with the Agger-Skrtel pairing, but even if they do nick one, we'll simply carve them open the next, and again. And again. It's what we do.

Their defense might boast one of the meanest this season, but as an aged unit they've shown their Kryptonite is quick, skillful players. They've lost handily to Man City three times (I think), a side whose attacking nous is closest to ours, and more recently to Man U. If Rooney, Kagawa and Young gave them problems with their quickness and skill, what more trouble could Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling pose with their quickness and skill and determination?

Yeah I'm confident.

[Mike]

Sakho was very good against West Ham earlier in the season; if there is a game for him it is this.

Personally think Allen will come in for Coutinho and that being the only change.

[G]

I think this and Palace are our 2 toughest games left because of the way both will set up against us.Chelsea will probably do it too depending on what they need for our game.

[Fredo]

I think we should field the same team. Reason is that West Ham are gonna sit deep and play defensively. Best form of defence is attack.

[marksared]

Sakho should come in for Agger....Carroll needs stopping from set pieces etc.

[Bernardicus]

I'm expecting a game like vs Sunderland last Wednesday night.

[Yozza]

West Ham's Stewart Downing: 'We'll make it hard for Liverpool at Upton Park'

West Ham United winger Stewart Downing has insisted that he is looking forward to going head to head with his former club Liverpool on Sunday.

The Merseyside outfit are fighting for the Premier League title, while the Hammers are aiming for a top-10 finish before the end of the season.

Downing moved to London from Anfield last summer alongside Andy Carroll, while Joe Cole left Liverpool for Upton Park in January last year.

"It's nice to play against your old teams and I'm sure Andy and Joe Cole are looking forward to it," Downing told the club's official website. "We're in for that top 10 spot and it's tight, so we want to do ourselves and the other teams a favour.

"[Liverpool's] forward line is frightening at the minute. The goals are coming from everywhere, but we'll make it hard for them at our place.

"When I was playing for Liverpool it was always hard against West Ham at Upton Park. It's going to be difficult, but a good win on Monday breeds confidence and we fancy ourselves against anyone at home."

[Vermilion]

"We're in for that top 10 spot and it's tight, so we want to do ourselves and the other teams a favour.

WTF is he on about, which other teams does he want to do a favour for?! Chavski? Citeh?

What a cheap bitter thing to say.

[The_weatherman]

"When I was playing for Liverpool it was always hard against West Ham at Upton Park. It's going to be difficult, but a good win on Monday breeds confidence and we fancy ourselves against anyone at home."

Little bit of poetic licence there

[cream]

West Ham's Stewart Downing: 'We'll make it hard for Liverpool at Upton Park'

Doubt it Stewie, you can't even make your own dick hard...