Early-season surprise packets, West Ham has an incredible opportunity to really bed themselves into the top four when they face Wolverhampton at the Molineux this weekend. Four wins on the bounce and electric form from Declan Rice and co. has made them a genuine threat in a wide-open race for a top-four finish this season.
Their opposition had an incredible undefeated run in October that spilled over to November as well. It lifted them into the top half of the table for the first time this season. Their good run of form, however, was ended by Crystal palace just before the international break.
Wolves vs West Ham FYIs:
Kick-off time: 3 PM GMT, 20 November Sunday
West Ham Team News: go here
Premier League Preview Pod: go here
Form Guide (All Competitions): Wolves (WWDWL) West Ham (WWWDW)
Now you have the back story, let’s see how I go predicting the starting XI for the Irons as they travel to the West Midlands this weekend.
Between the posts will be Lukasz Fabianski. The Pole in the goal has been in scintillating form for the Hammers and is undroppable in the league at the moment. Alphonse Areola will have to settle for a spot on the bench yet again.
It’s a tight call in the right-back position. Vladimir Coufal is world-class, but Ben Johnson has really taken his opportunity with both hands. It’s a coin toss at this point. If I was picking the team, I’d pick Coufal. Admittedly that is a harsh call on Johnson who has barely put a foot wrong when called upon this season.
It’s a much easier decision at left-back – Aaron Cresswell is the first choice in this position, and I see no reason for this to change. The center of defense is going to need to be tweaked in the wake of Angelo Ogbonna’s knee injury.
I’m going to play it safe and go for Craig Dawson to partner Kurt Zouma in the Italian’s absence.
Despite some scares over the international break, I have no doubt in my mind that the Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek will once again form the fulcrum of everything the Hammers do in both attack and defense. Ahead of them will likely be the criminally under-rated Pablo Fornals.
I picked him to have a breakout year this year and so far the Spaniard has not let me down.
Jarrod Bowen will bring the width to the attack along with Said Benrahma. These two have terrorized opposition defenses this year, and I think the Wolves defenders will be having nightmares at the prospect of trying to stop these two.
Even if the Wolves’ defense does manage to keep them quiet, they still have to contend with Michail Antonio who is in the form of his life.
If you haven’t seen his goal for Jamaica against the USMNT, then do yourself a favor and check it out.
If the Hammers are the real deal this season, they should collect three points against Wolves. I, for one, think they are the real deal and will account for the Wanderers pretty comfortably.