The big decisions David Moyes needs to make as West Ham prepare to host Leicester.
David Moyes, manager of West Ham United, gives instructions to Andy Carroll during the Premier League match against Watford.
David Moyes will have a second attempt to try and pick up his first points as West Ham United manager when his team host Leicester City on Friday (November 24) night.
Moyes suffered defeat in his first outing as Hammers boss with a 2-0 loss at Watford that highlighted the big decisions the Scot has to assess going forwards.
Here are three big calls the 54-year-old will need to make for the visit of the Foxes to the London Stadium.
Mark Noble of West Ham United takes on Abdoulaye Doucoure of Watford during the Premier League match.
Drop Mark Noble?
Moyes opted for a three-man central midfield at Vicarage Road of Pedro Obiang behind Cheikhou Kouyate and captain Noble, but it didn’t work and only served to show West Ham’s inadequacies in the middle.
Their 30-year-old skipper is perhaps the weakest link and looks someway short of Obiang and Kouyate – even though the latter was particularly poor against the Hornets – and maybe dropping the Englishman is the best call.
Where to play Manuel Lanzini
Since the departure of Dimitri Payet in January the burden of creativity has fallen squarely on Lanzini’s shoulders and the Argentine is Moyes’ key to opening up defences.
Yet the new chief opted to play the 24-year-old out wide in his first game, which only seemed to limit his influence and is something that needs to be addressed.
Diafra Sakho (R) and Winston Reid of West Ham United look dejected during the Premier League match against Watford.
Solving division’s leakiest defence
No Premier League team has conceded more goals than the 25 the East Londoners have let in so far during the 2017/18 campaign.
It is hoped the appointment of Moyes will rectify that, but he needs to work out his best system and personnel at the back and soon, with Pablo Zabaleta looking past it and Aaron Cresswell short of form.
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