AliousAs West Ham prepares to face Ipswich Town in the Premier League at the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon, all eyes are on head coach Julen Lopetegui. The spotlight intensifies not only due to the team’s recent performance – having secured just one league win in their last six matches – but also because of a highly publicized disagreement with star player Mohammed Kudus during last weekend’s match against Brentford.
Lopetegui’s decision to substitute Kudus at half-time, despite the player being West Ham’s most dynamic presence in an otherwise lackluster first half, shocked many observers. This incident has raised questions about how Lopetegui will manage Kudus in the upcoming match against Ipswich. Many supporters have expressed frustration with Lopetegui’s deployment of Kudus on the left wing, believing it to be the root of the player’s recent struggles.
Given the importance of this match heading into the international break, it seems unlikely that Lopetegui would take the risky decision to drop Kudus entirely. However, our predicted lineup suggests that another regular starter may lose his place as part of a significant tactical reshuffle.
Emerson Palmieri, who has been underperforming throughout the year, may be the player to make way. Lopetegui himself highlighted in his pre-match press conference that Emerson was also substituted at half-time against Brentford for tactical reasons, though this change received less attention than Kudus’s substitution.
Considering Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s impressive performances at left-back and Konstantinos Mavropanos’s strong showing at right-back, we anticipate a major change in the defensive line. Emerson could be dropped, with Wan-Bissaka shifting to the left and Mavropanos returning to the starting lineup at right-back.
While many fans are calling for Jarrod Bowen to start as the central striker, with Kudus on the right and Crysencio Summerville on the left, Lopetegui has been hesitant to employ this formation. Instead, we predict a more straightforward change in midfield.
Edson Alvarez, who has struggled for form in 2024 and recently received a costly red card in the cup match against Liverpool, may be reintroduced to the starting XI in place of Guido Rodriguez. This decision, if made, would reflect Lopetegui’s faith in Alvarez despite his recent poor performances.
It’s worth noting that what Lopetegui should do and what he will do may differ. Many argue that Kudus should be playing in the attacking midfield role instead of Lucas Paqueta, whose form has dipped, or at least on the right wing with Summerville on the left and Bowen as the central striker. However, we anticipate that Michail Antonio will retain his position as the starting striker, despite not having scored yet this season.
The predicted West Ham starting XI for the match against Ipswich is as follows: Areola in goal; a back four of Mavropanos, Todibo, Kilman, and Wan-Bissaka; Alvarez and Soucek in midfield; Paqueta in the attacking midfield role; Kudus and Bowen on the wings; and Antonio as the lone striker.
This lineup represents a significant shake-up from recent matches and demonstrates Lopetegui’s attempt to address the team’s recent struggles while maintaining faith in certain key players. The outcome of this match and the effectiveness of these changes could have a substantial impact on West Ham’s season and Lopetegui’s future at the club.
Alious
