West Ham Zone View: Moyes must throw never-before-seen Hammer in v City
West Ham United face a colossal task when they travel to face a Manchester City side on Wednesday who will be angered by recent events.
The Premier League champions have been slapped with a two-year ban from European competitions for breaking Financial Fair Play rules.
So the hosts will be ready to take their fury out on the visitors to the Etihad Stadium, which just so happens to be the Hammers.
That leaves Irons boss David Moyes with a decision to make. How attacking does he go with his line-up?
Obviously all-out attack is unwise against Pep Guardiola’s side, but if Moyes sets his team up to play on the counter and infuses it with some pace, they might just be able to get something.
With that said, a front two of Michail Antonio and January signing Jarrod Bowen (potential debutant) would surely be the way to go.
Moyes certainly feels as if the former Hull City star is ready to go: “I have been pleased with what I have seen from Jarrod at the moment. He’s come in and settled in very quickly, he’s looked very sharp in training,” he said, as per Football London.
“He’s obviously had loads of games, it’s not as if he’s short of match practice or match fitness in any way so I have been pleased.”
Bowen and Antonio up top together would give the Hammers huge pace, providing them with a legitimate outball that could stretch City.
Furthermore, they both have an eye for goal, particularly Bowen. The 23-year-old scored 17 goals and provided six assists over the first half of the season for the Tigers.
Having that duo on the frontlines would also allow Moyes to pack the midfield, putting Declan Rice, Mark Noble, Tomas Soucek and Robert Snodgrass on the pitch at the same time.
Sebastien Haller is clearly low on confidence, so there’s no reason to think he can cut it against the City defence. It’d be much better, surely, to opt for the form and pace of Messrs Antonio and Bowen.
In other West Ham news, the club’s supporters have been urging Moyes to call up one Under-23s star.