West Ham’s Premier League campaign got off to a dreary start with a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle last weekend.
There was some mild respite from the doom and gloom with the routine 3-0 home win over Charlton in the EFL Cup tie in midweek.
But all that really meant for David Moyes was avoiding crisis deepening further, as opposed to any tangible signs of progress.
Arsenal will be strong favourites when the Scot brings his Hammers side to the Emirates Stadium tomorrow.
Last time Moyes lined his troops up to face Arsenal, back in March, he paired Sebastien Haller with Michail Antonio in attack.
After Haller’s midweek double, will Moyes be tempted to do the same again here?
We don’t think he will, instead reverting to type with a 4-5-1 system containing essentially three holding midfielders.
We’ve got Arthur Masuaku in ahead of Aaron Cresswell, but Willian may well fancy his chances against either man.
It’s much the same dour approach which failed to lay much of a glove on Newcastle.
Moyes is the kind of manager who would be buoyed by the fact his side held Arsenal for 78 minutes last time out, and would likely take a draw here.
It would be a welcome surprise if he went back to that 4-4-2 system and tried to go at Arsenal.
But it’s more likely he’d drop Declan Rice back to make a five-man defence against the Gunners’ fearsome attack.
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