West Ham United will have the rare occasion of playing consecutive matches in the Europa Conference League this week.
Following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Hammers’ planned Premier League clash with Newcastle United was postponed as well as all matches in England as a mark of respect to Her Majesty.
With Her Majesty’s funeral due to take place next Monday on September 19, there have been question marks over next weekend’s Premier League fixtures, with David Moyes’ side due to face Everton at Goodison Park.
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On the day of Her Majesty’s passing, the Hammers’ first group stage match in the Europa Conference League against Romanian side FCSB went ahead, where a 3-1 win at the London Stadium saw David Moyes’ side move top of Group B in the competition.
After Sunday’s planned trip to Merseyside, there is an international break lasting just shy of two weeks and if that game is postponed, it means the Hammers’ meeting with Silkeborg in their second group game on Thursday night will be West Ham’s final match before players link up with their countries for September’s international fixtures.
If Moyes and his side are denied their scheduled trip to the Hammers boss’ former club, it will leave him with a major selection dispute over how strong of a side Moyes should field.
So far in the Conference League, Moyes has been able to name strong sides but has rotated heavily from the 11s fielded in the previous Premier League matches. In Thursday’s win over FCSB, Moyes made seven changes from the team that were harshly beaten 2-1 by Chelsea five days earlier, but it was still a side that including six of the eight summer signings and captain Declan Rice, as well as experience via the likes of Vladimir Coufal, Angelo Ogbonna, Manuel Lanzini and Said Benrahma.
Injury forced Moyes’ hand with part of that team selection. Defenders Aaron Cresswell (groin), Ben Johnson (hamstring) and Nayef Aguerd (ankle) are all sidelined, as is midfielder Tomas Soucek, with a foot issue.
A combination of rotation and players sidelined half selected Moyes’ team for him. He wanted to give some key players a rest however, but the triple introduction of Michail Antonio, Pablo Fornals and Lucas Paqueta at half-time highlighted the need for quality with West Ham 1-0 down at the break.
If the Everton game gets postponed however, Moyes only has a trip to Silkeborg to think about before an international break that leaves the Hammers without a league game potentially until October 1 when they take on Wolverhampton Wanderers.
If Moyes only has the Silkeborg game to contend with, then does he name the best 11 he physically has knowing they do not have another club game to plan for well over a fortnight.
There will also be a consideration over which players could be available. If any of Soucek, Johnson and Cresswell are back, that is only going to bolster the squad and Moyes’ options.
However, should the Everton game go ahead, the expectation is that Moyes will name a starting 11 similar to that which started against FCSB, with some key players that were able to be rested starting on the bench, or in the case of Lukasz Fabianski, being spared from the squad entirely.
One change from that could be forced in Maxwel Cornet. The Ivorian won the penalty that led to the equalising goal against the Romanians but in doing so was forced off through injury.
A lot pines on the Everton game and whether or not that goes ahead but if it does get postponed, Moyes will be tempted, and rightly so, to field the best side he has at his disposal, having virtually had to do so in the second half against FCSB just to secure victory when it seemed unlikely before the break.
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