Guffwatch

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Fulham Match (h)

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West Ham have made six changes for the Carabao Cup tie against Fulham, with Finlay Herrick starting in goal and Max Kilman captaining the side. Fulham have handed summer signing Hugo Larsson his full debut, while Kevin and Emile Smith Rowe also start.

No-Guff Summary

  • West Ham face Fulham at London Stadium in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday 15 September at 7.45pm BST.
  • West Ham's starting XI is Finlay Herrick, Kyle Walker-Peters, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Max Kilman, Morato, Divine Mukasa, Lewis Orford, Arne Engels, Mohamadou Kanté, Pablo and Joshua Ajala.
  • The bench is Mads Hermansen, Ollie Scarles, Ezra Mayers, Airidas Golambeckis, Soungoutou Magassa, Jarrod Bowen, Manor Solomon, Taty Castellanos and Joël Piroe. Veltman is absent from the matchday squad.
  • Fulham summer signing Hugo Larsson makes his full debut, with Kevin and Emile Smith Rowe also starting.
  • Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has ruled Ryan Sessegnon out with a small groin problem.
  • West Ham World says Mavropanos's three Championship goals are backed by a repeatable set-piece threat.
  • There is no extra time or replay. A level tie after 90 minutes will be decided by penalties.
Development Updated

Mavropanos gives Fulham a set-piece problem

Konstantinos Mavropanos has become a rather inconvenient extra attacker for Fulham to account for at set pieces, according to West Ham World's analysis. The centre-back has scored three Championship goals this season, against Wolves, Bolton and Wrexham.

The outlet reports that Mavropanos has produced 12 shots and 2.2 expected goals in the league. Eleven of those efforts were headers and nine came directly from corners. That pattern matters more than the novelty of a defender appearing on the scoresheet. West Ham are repeatedly finding him in dangerous positions.

Arne Engels supplied the set piece for his goal at Bolton, while Jarrod Bowen delivered the corner against Wrexham. West Ham World argues that the aerial threat could give Fulham a problem, though it also notes the transition risk when a centre-back is committed forward.

Sources

  • West Ham World (opens in a new tab) — Analyses Konstantinos Mavropanos’ goalscoring and expected-goals numbers, and argues that his aerial threat has become a significant part of West Ham’s attacking approach before the Carabao Cup meeting with Fulham.