Hurst in Charge at Portman Road for the First Time as West Ham Visit Friday, 27th Jul 2018 12:57 Blues boss Paul Hurst will take charge of Town for the first time at Portman Road on Saturday when Premier League West Ham visit for the final friendly of pre-season (KO 3pm). Hurst, whose side have won their last three matches 1-0 against lower league opposition, says ideally he would have preferred stiffer opposition with the friendly programme having been set by the previous management team. “I would have liked more challenges, no disrespect to who we have played,” he said. “I would have preferred some tougher games. “It’s something certainly next pre-season if it’s down to me to sort that, that’s what we’ll be looking at. “Every game’s a challenge and you look at the scorelines and we certainly haven’t blown anyone away but in a couple of the games in which we’ve had a lot of the ball, how much have we really been tested? “How many games could I have perhaps have gone in goal and still maybe had a chance of keeping a clean sheet? “From that point of view, I’m glad that the opposition on Saturday is a step up and, as I say, I would have liked at least another one if not two teams to really stretch us and probably have more possession than we’ve faced so far.”
Is the performance perhaps more important than the result on Saturday? “Yes, you’ve also got to look at the players and how they react to coming up against better players, how they react to the crowd. “Again, we know a lot of them have been there and done that sort of thing before but it’s new, maybe we’re playing a little bit differently. Can they still take that on board or they kind of hide away a little bit and not rise to the occasion? “But we always want to try and win every game. Saturday, at the minute, I’m trying to look at the team that I can put out there, which won’t help in terms of trying to get [a result]. “Again, nothing against the players who are selected but certainly midfield at the minute, that’s proving difficult and what I would say is that no one will be risked.
“If there’s any concern whatsoever, I’m not prepared to take that chance of maybe having a stronger team for Saturday but then losing them for when it really does matter the week after.” Hurst says he’ll be taking no chance on Cole Skuse, who suffered a thigh problem during the MK Dons game, while Trevoh Chalobah is set to fly back from Finland today along with striker Ben Morris and is not expected to feature. Emyr Huws, Teddy Bishop, Tom Adeyemi and Danny Rowe are at various points in their injury comebacks and won’t be involved, but Joe Garner may play a part from the bench having trained yesterday following his knee problem. Hurst says Skuse isn’t viewed as a doubt for the opening day: “I don’t think for Blackburn, I certainly hope not but he’s certainly one I’m looking at that I can’t afford to lose. “I think today, the general feeling was that he was better than expected and I think if you ask Cole he might say he’s alright to play.
"That’s fine and I want that attitude in the squad, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not the league game, and again if we lose him we are really starting to struggle. “So unless there’s a dramatic improvement, and I really don’t see it, he won’t be involved at the weekend.” Hurst says there are already names definitely inked on his teamsheet for the visit of Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn next weekend with Skuse and skipper Luke Chambers among them.
“I guess the answer I should give is no, but the reality is that there will be certain people that barring injury or illness or anything like that will be in the team,” he admitted. “But there are still genuinely places to fight for and anyone who gets the chance to set foot on the pitch on Saturday, as I’ve said to them right from the start, whether it’s the training ground but particularly games, it’s an opportunity to impress and maybe give me that nudge that I need. Or maybe come from further behind and make me have a real thought about it that actually, maybe they are ready.” Town are likely to take the same approach as in their recent friendlies with essentially a first XI starting with a number of younger players making appearances midway through the second half. Much-coveted Martyn Waghorn is expected to be in the squad with no developments on the transfer front but whether the striker is rested as he was at the MK Dons on Tuesday remains to be seen.
Like Hurst, summer signings Ellis Harrison, Jordan Roberts and Gwion Edwards will also be involved in their first games at Portman Road. West Ham are expected to give Blues keeper Bartosz Bialkowski’s Poland compatriot Lukasz Fabianski his first game in goal following his summer move from Swansea, while fellow new signings Felipe Anderson and Fabian Balbuena are also thought likely to play. The Hammers will be skippered by former Town loanee Mark Noble, while ex-Blues full-back Aaron Cresswell could return from a groin strain. Freddie Sears and Jordan Spence were youngsters with the Irons. More than 11,000 tickets have already been sold with the Hammers having taken their entire 4,100 allocation across the Cobbold Stand. In the Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alf Ramsey stands, only the lower tiers will be open.
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