David Moyes must drop West Ham midfielder Nikola Vlasic v Chelsea
West Ham will travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday to face Chelsea in the Premier League.
In the previous meeting between the two sides, the Hammers earned a heroic 3-2 victory at home. The club were flying high on momentum at that point, and everyone was talking about a top-four finish.
However, the Hammers have dropped off the pace, but they should aim to get into the top-six at least this season, and every point in the Premier League is vital.
After their impressive win against Lyon in the Europa League, the Hammers stumbled at home, managing only a 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Burnley.
They must aim to pick up maximum points in the Premier League, and Chelsea pose a strong challenge.
Moyes would be buoyed by how Arsenal managed a 4-2 win at the Bridge on Wednesday. It should give him the confidence to go there a pick up a win this weekend.
The squad selection is crucial. Nikola Vlasic started in the last game, but Moyes should drop the 24-year-old for this big game.
Vlasic looked distraught after a serious injury to Ashley Westwood, which was purely accidental. He was left in tears after the tackle. It was unintentional, but he never recovered from that, and it was an uninspiring performance before he was taken off.
The Croatian midfielder is highly-rated but he is yet to show his class on a consistent basis. Moyes has pinned high hopes on him, suggesting back in October [Claret and Hugh] that he would a “big player” for the club.
The selection for this game won’t be easy, especially Moyes needs to shuffle his defensive pack after the injury to Issa Diop. However, if he keeps four men at the back, the Hammers boss must start with Pablo Fornals, instead of Vlasic.
The versatile Spaniard is tailor-made for big games because of his creativity and energy. Plus, he has shown he can operate as a full-back if needed.
Said Benrahma could be another option, but Fornals would add more balance to the side.
In other West Ham news, the club needs to protest this outrageous UEFA decision regarding the Europa League final if they make it there.
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