Tony Cottee names two West Ham United players who simply must start v Chelsea
Tony Cottee has named Crysencio Summerville and Lucas Paqueta as must-starters for West Ham United against Chelsea on 21 September.
The Hammers rescued a point against Fulham last time with a last-gasp equaliser from Danny Ings, as they sit fourteenth going into the latest Premier League fixtures.
Cottee appeared on talkSPORT [21 September] and was quizzed whether the duo should start at the London Stadium following their impact off the bench at Craven Cottage.
He said: “Oh without a doubt – they’ve got to start. West Ham are struggling in the forward positions and Michail Antonio doesn’t really look like he’s got his fitness at the moment, likewise Fullkrug.
“So he will probably go with Bowen up front today with Summerville on one side, Kudus the other, and hopefully Paqueta in behind them with two holding midfielders.”
West Ham United need to find the goals against Fulham
Julen Lopetegui has lost both his opening fixtures at the London Stadium this season against Aston Villa and Manchester City and, it will not be any easier for the Spaniard with Chelsea making the trip to East London.
Antonio is likely to start his fifth consecutive match, despite failing to score this season with Niclas Fullkrug a doubt [Nizaar Kinsella] and Ings, who made a solid case for himself with that crucial equaliser, unlikely to be rewarded for his efforts with a starting berth.
Jarrod Bowen is more than capable of leading the attack for the Irons and played regularly last term under David Moyes as the lone striker on his way to scoring 16 goals in the Premier League.
After two losses and one draw in his opening four fixtures, Lopetegui is hardly showing just rewards for the outlay spent on his squad throughout the summer and it is time for the boss to start integrating his new signings into the side.
Paqueta, as all Hammers fans know, is exceptional on his day and must start against Chelsea, and with Bowen potentially leading the line, there is no better time to hand last season’s Championship Player of the Year, Summerville, his first start in claret and blue.
West Ham have scored in all their matches this season but barring the win against Crystal Palace, have failed to make those goals count.
The current attacking options that Lopetegui has selected have failed to do the business, it is time to shake things up and perhaps the absence of Fullkrug will prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Hammers.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers rejected a transfer bid for Michail Antonio this summer.
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