Michail Antonio faces end of an era as David Moyes starts Mohammed Kudus up front at Freiburg in strong starting XI
David Moyes has named a strong West Ham starting XI for the visit to Freiburg in the Europa League to show that he is taking the competition seriously.
Star men James Ward-Prowse, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta are all in from the start, while headline summer signing Mohammed Kudus is handed only his second start in a Hammers shirt in a move that may put Michail Antonio on notice.
The Ghanian star’s arrival capped off what turned to be a pretty strong transfer window after the late activity, but he has been restricted to a series of late substitute appearances in the Premier League so far.
Unless Moyes plans to use Bowen as a false-nine in Germany it appears that Kudus is in the central striker’s role this time, after scoring twice as a wide attacker behind Danny Ings in the 3-1 win over Backa Topola on 21 September.
West Ham put a lot of effort into trying to sign a striker late in the transfer window, but the pursuits of Luiz Alberto and Hugo Ekitike fell flat so now former Ajax man Kudus gets to show why that need not matter.
Antonio started the campaign strongly with goals in the wins over Chelsea and Brighton, but has gone scoreless in five appearances since then, including the defeat at Liverpool he had talked up the Irons on his podcast in the build-up [Mirror, 24 September].
Kudus’ versatility was seen as cover for the failure to land a striker in the summer, and he has now been handed the opportunity to shine in that role for an important European fixture.
If he can follow up his match winning contribution in the last group stage win then there is every chance he will finally get his first Premier League start, and with Antonio arguably the most vulnerable of the attacking unit to dropping out the trip to Germany has the potential to be the beginning of the end for the Jamaica international.
At 33 that was always going to come before long, and having seen of Gianluca Scamacca it is unwise to totally write him off, but Kudus is a potential star at the London Stadium that fans have been desperate to see more of.
Moyes is often slow to trust new arrivals and it appears to be the same with Kudus so far, but he has given the big-money man the chance to stake his claim here, and if he takes it he has the quality to hold onto the place in the XI for some time.
The start of the European campaign went off without much of a hitch in the end so the Hammers will want to capitalise as they look to qualify for the knock out stages.
Some clubs see the Europa League as little more than an afterthought unless they find themselves in the latter rounds, but last season’s Europa Conference League triumph rescued a miserable campaign.
Moyes would likely have been sacked in the summer had it not been for the trophy win, and after a galvanising run to the semi-final of this competition a year earlier he will know the importance of doing well.
So away against arguably the toughest side in the group this is a big chance for Kudus, and potentially fellow summer signing Konstantinos Mavropanos to cement their places at West Ham.
In other West Ham news, after Jesse Lingard’s departure the club are looking at a possible alternative free agent signing amid current exit talks.