West Ham v Middlesbrough Preview

Aitor Karanka admitted that he didn’t make any tactical changes at half time during Middlesbrough’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham last weekend.

After falling two goals behind in a miserable first half, Boro improved significantly after the break but their manager insists that was only down to an improvement in attitude from his players.

Boro travel to the London Stadium this weekend to take on West Ham, in a match where both sides will hope to improve on their recent poor run of form.

The Hammers have lost their last four league games while Boro have failed to pick up a point in their last three, even so Karanka doesn’t believe that his side need to make immediate changes.

“We have been losing games but we don’t need to change anything, just the mistakes and the attitude. We are not losing games five or six nil,” he said.

“In the second half (against Tottenham) the tactics were the same but the attitude was different and we need the play like we did in the second half.”

Team News

Boro don’t have any fresh injury concerns, however Karanka did confirm that Grant Leadbitter could return before Christmas, after the midfielder underwent a hernia operation at the start of the season.

Adama Traoré could make his first start for the club after impressing in a second half cameo against Spurs last weekend.

West Ham have been hampered by a number of injuries this campaign and will be without Aaron Cresswell, Andy Carroll, Andre Ayew and Diafra Sakho for Saturday’s game.

Norwegian midfielder Håvard Nordtveit is their latest casualty and will also miss the game after sustaining an injury during West Ham’s 3-0 defeat to Southampton.

The Opposition

West Ham’s contentious move to the London Stadium hasn’t exactly gone to plan and last season’s impressive 7^th place finish must seem like a distant memory.

After moving from their cherished home, Upton Park, the Hammers have failed to acclimatise to their new residence, where they have lost twice and conceded seven goals in three games.

There were boos at the end of their 3-0 defeat to Southampton last weekend, while the crowd troubles during the 4-2 defeat to Watford earlier this month were even more disturbing.

Slaven Bilic hasn’t been helped by injuries to key players at the start of this campaign, while last season’s talisman Dimitri Payet has failed to recapture his scintillating form after returning late from the European Championships.   

Even so, the Hammers shouldn’t be underestimated and Bilic will hope that his side have learnt from their recent mistakes.

One To Watch

Dimitri Payet

The 29-year-old Frenchman was instrumental for West Ham last campaign, contributing with nine goals and 12 assists in 30 Premier League games.

Payet backed up an impressive first season in the England’s top flight by asserting himself as one of France’s key players at the summer’s European Championships. The £12.75m that West Ham paid for him last summer now looks like a real bargain.

Payet may not have started this campaign in top form, however his ability to create and score goals from both open play and set pieces still makes him a real danger.

Last Time Out

West Ham 1 Middlesbrough 1 – 20/3/2012

Boro substitute Bart Ogbeche produced a stunning late strike to rescue a point for Tony Mowbray’s side when both teams were in the Championship four years ago.

Abdoulaye Faye’s opener on 67 minutes gave promotion-chasing West Ham the lead when the defender’s effort was deflected off Joe Bennet and looped over Boro keeper Jason Steele.

However, Ogbeche’s finish six minutes from time gave the visitors an admirable point at Upton Park.

Team I Would Play

(Picture from Gazette Boro)

I would bring Daniel Ayala back into the side to partner Ben Gibson at the back. It was a partnership that flourished in the Championship last season and by now they should know each other's games inside out.

Adama Traoré added some much needed pace and power to Boro's attack when he came on against Tottenham so he deserves to start.

In midfield I would like to see Boro go back the Forshaw-Clayton combination which worked well away at Sunderland and West Brom earlier in the season.