West Ham 1-0 Tottenham

[SomersetYiddo]

BAE & King are both doubts with knee problems, Gomes wont be returning just yet and is still sidelined. VDV and Corluka are set to play and maybe Modric.

[dedleysting]

Bale at LB then?
 
VDV at LM and Lennon back at RM i guess

[martin]

West Ham 1 - 2 Tottenham

[ugs]

Corluka is fit so 'Arry may play Hutton at LB, and Bassong in for King
 
 

[Chelmsford_yid]

West Ham are bolstered by the return of Matthew Upson, Danny Gabbidon, Herita Ilunga and Winston Reid, who all sat out the League Cup win at Sunderland.   Valon Behrami's knee will be assessed, but Thomas Hitzlsperger is still out.
Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric has overcome a foot injury, while Rafael van der Vaart and Vedran Corluka are also fit to play.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Ledley King are doubts with knee problems, and keeper Heurelho Gomes is still sidelined.
 
These far-from-friendly London rivals clash at Upton Park after a week in which they experienced vastly different emotions in the League Cup.
The beleaguered Hammers finally showed signs that this season is not necessarily going to be an arduous struggle with a performance against Sunderland that belied their woeful league form. Remarkably, it was the first time they had knocked out a top-flight team in the League Cup since 1997.
You also have to go back quite a way to find the last time they beat Tottenham. That match on the final day of the 2005/06 season still leaves a sour taste in the mouth of Spurs fans, as West Ham's 2-1 win over a Tottenham side suffering badly with gastroenteritis denied them a place in the Champions League.
Tottenham, of course, are now enjoying the fruits of Europe's premier cup competition, but manager Harry Redknapp has had to make some big calls on where his team are going to prioritise this season.
This meant a shadow side were dumped out of the Carling Cup by their bitterest foes Ars*nal on Tuesday. There is no chance Redknapp will not take this weekend's game seriously, and after being out-gunned by the Gunners, he is sure to unleash his full firepower on the Hammers.

[dedleysting]

I don't fancy Hutton at LB. He not the best defensive player we have in our ranks, so to play him out of position could be risky. I'd rather see Bale there and have Hutton at RB where both will be more effective attacking from deep.

[WilsonJet]

My guess for tomorrow's lineup:

                             Cudicini

Corluka         Gallas           Kaboul        Bale

Lennon         Jenas           Hudd          Modric

                                VDV

                              Crouch

I think we'll see Hutton for Corluka, Gio for Lennon, and Keane for VDV.
Figure Harry will reward Jenas and Hutton, especially as Corluka is getting back to full strength. No sense risking VDV, and Keane certainly deserves time for his efforts.

[Gareth Keown]

........................Useless ex-Chav

Mutton...........Gallas..............Bassong.............Bale

Lennon.........Jenius............THudd.............Moderate

.....................Pav.................vdV

[SomersetYiddo]

Starting Line Up (Official)


Cudicini, Hutton, Corluka, Bassong, Bale, Lennon, Jenas, Huddlestaone, Modric, VDV, Crouch

[Biggs]

Damn pretty light at the back with 2 attacking full backs like that

[WilsonJet]

I agree - and that CB pairing is awful (we've got slow & ill-advised back there).
No defensive subs on the bench either...

[Gareth Keown]

3-1 home win

[Gareth Keown]

lack of pace upfront allowing Spam to play back4 very high up, pushing us back into our half..... good move to counter by Arry in getting Jenas and vdV to swap positions.... JJ's pace to give Spam something to think about if they play so high still..

[WilsonJet]

And you are predicting a loss? Won't Jenas save us?

[bigv]

I'd prefer to be lead into mordor by a hobbit than lead by jenas