West Ham United will kick off their Carabao Cup campaign when Championship side Blackburn Rovers come calling on Wednesday
Premier League side West Ham United will be keen to seal progress to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup when Blackburn Rovers come calling to the London Stadium on Wednesday.
The Hammers have never won the competition in their 127-year history. The closest they came to securing the trophy was in 1966 and 1981 when they made the final on both occasions. Coming off the back of a good summer transfer window, the onus will be on the home side to make a punt at one of the domestic trophies.
Pressure is also mounting on David Moyes, and the Scot is in desperate need of a win. Anything less than a victory on Wednesday could seriously see his job under threat. It will not be easy with Blackburn currently in good form.
John Dahl Tommason’s side are currently second in the English second division and have a real shot at securing promotion to the top flight. Getting the better of a Premier League side will further boost the morale at Ewood Park, priming them to work towards a strong second half of the campaign. However, they too will have an eye on their game against Championship leaders Burnley at the weekend and could opt to rest a few players.
With the Hammers just two points off the relegation zone, Moyes could opt to rotate his squad and keep players fresh for the weekend’s Premier League clash against Leicester City at the weekend. Both the teams are amid poor starts to the campaign and will have an eye on the upcoming game.
Blackburn, on the other hand, are just two points off leaders Burnley. There is still much to play for, but going into the World Cup hiatus on the back of a win would help preserve the positive vibes. A positive run in the Carabao Cup will only give fans something more to cheer about.
The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
West Ham United
Back to work 👊 pic.twitter.com/Yqm72Q9rlU
— West Ham United (@WestHam) November 7, 2022
Moyes is expected to ring in the changes given the enormity of the upcoming Premier League clash against Leicester. The likes of Declan Rice, Lucas Paqueta, Lukasz Fabianski and striker Gianluca Scamacca could all need to settle for a spot on the bench.
This should see several firing players get a runout. Moyes is expected to retain his 4-2-3-1 formation with only the personnel being swapped out. Alphonse Areola should start in goal behind the back four of Vladimir Coufal, Nayef Aguerd, Angelo Ogbonna and Emerson Palmieri.
Flynn Downes should partner Tomas Soucek in the double pivot, providing the midfield with a solid base. It should allow the trio of Pablo Fornals, Manuel Lanzini and Said Benrahma to inflict damage upfield.
Veteran striker Michail Antonio should lead the line and will be keen to make use of his physicality to break through the Blackburn defence. The Jamaican will also be keen to show that he is the top dog despite Scamacca’s arrival and has an opportunity to prove a point on the night.
With home support to boot, Moyes will hope for a quick start from his side. The Scot will be best served if he isn’t forced into bringing on his big guns to prevent a potential upset.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Areola; Coufal, Aguerd, Ogbonna, Emerson; Downes, Soucek; Fornals, Lanzini, Benrahma Antonio
Blackburn Rovers
John Dahl Tommason’s side have been electric this season and are serious contenders to secure promotion to the Premier League. They are currently in the second spot, two points behind league leaders Burnley.
Both teams face off this Sunday, and Rovers are likely to have an eye on it. With that in mind, the Danish manager could make changes to his lineup for the trip to London Stadium.
The Championship side are likely to mirror West Ham’s 4-3-2-1 formation and will be keen to get dug in. Tomasson has largely rotated his quad for the competition in the last few rounds and is unlikely to change his approach days before a crucial Championship clash.
🗣️ JDT: "It’s brilliant that in a cup game on a wet night in London we’re bringing over 2000 fans.
We should enjoy it, and we should go for it with maximum effort."#Rovers 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/cpIIbXPThL
— Blackburn Rovers (@Rovers) November 8, 2022
Aynsley Alan William Pears should start in goal behind the back four of Hayden Carter, Dominic Hyam, Scott Wharton and Harry Pickering. The duo of Tyler Morton and youngster Adam Wharton could form the double pivot, facing a real test against West Ham’s more seasoned compatriots.
The trio of Ryan Hedges, Bradley Dack and Tyrhys Dolan will be tasked with rising open the Hammers’ defence and feeding opportunities for striker Jack Vale. Star striker Ben Brereton Diaz is a player on West Ham’s radar and is likely to start on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pears; Carter, Hyam, S. Wharton, Pickering; Morton, A. Wharton; Hedges, Dack, Dolan; Vale
Key Stats
- West Ham United have never won the League Cup in their history while Blackburn Rovers have done so once in 2002.
- Both teams have faced off against each other 108 times across all competitions. Blackburn have won 45 games, while West Ham United have come out on top 43 times.
- The lone League Cup meeting between the two sides was in 2000 with West Ham United winning 2-0 on the night.
- West Ham United have not lost to Blackburn Rovers at home since 1994.
Player to Watch
Tyler Morton
The Liverpool loanee has impressed at Ewood Park this season, making 21 appearances across all competitions. Quick on the ball and excellent with his positioning, he will have a real shot at proving himself against a Premier League side on Wednesday.
With A. Wharton likely to partner him in the Blackburn double pivot, the onus will be on Morton as the senior member of the duo to marshall his teammate. How well he conducts himself against Downes and Soucek could determine which way the cookie crumbles on the night. While West Ham still holds the upper hand, a determined performance in the middle of the pitch could keep Blackburn in the hunt for a surprise.
Prediction
West Ham United 3-1 Blackburn Rovers
While Blackburn have a real shot at springing a shock on the night, their priorities lie elsewhere. West Ham are also keeping an eye on the weekend and will make changes of their own. David Moyes’s superior strength and depth should, however, make the difference in handing the Hammers a comfortable win. Anything less and the Scot could find himself on shaky ground at the London Stadium.
