It's the news we dreaded. Declan Rice is out for at least a month having picked up a knee injury with England in Poland. He could even miss the whole season and the Euros in the worst-case scenario. He's the one player we can't afford to lose and it's a massive blow to West Ham's European chances. In fact the Champions League qualification breakfast at Nigel's gaff in Kew Gardens might have to be be indefinitely postponed.
What are the options? If Declan is replaced by Mark Noble than at least Nobes would be playing in his proper position, not as a number ten. But can the 33-year-old Noble turn back time and produce a reprise of his finest performances? It's doubtful he'll be anywhere near as mobile as Rice, but here's hoping. The other alternative would be to play Soucek as a holding midfielder and pack the team with three attacking midfielders in Fornals, Benrahma and Lingard in the hope we can outscore the opposition. And I won't even mention Antonio's dodgy hamstrings…
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