West Ham’s uphill struggle to escape the quicksand-like clutches of the relegation zone continues next weekend with a crucial home encounter with Liverpool. Over recent years few Hammers fans have seen victories against the mighty Reds: Liverpool coming to visit has been the cue for five goal thrashings, as in the corresponding fixture last year under Julen Lopetegui when a half time goalless scoreline offered a brief whiff of optimism – before the second half cave-in.
However Liverpool this season are in ‘relative’ disarray, sitting just seven points above West Ham in eleventh spot and, having suffered defeats at the hands of Nottingham Forest ( 3-0), Manchester City (3-0), Crystal Palace (3-0 EFL cup), Brentford (3-2), Manchester United (2-1) and Chelsea (2-1), are looking less than their usual invincible selves.
West Ham must follow the blueprint laid out by Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche
So a newly resurgent West Ham will go looking for a home win, to take Nuno’s points tally to ten from the last twelve – which would be truly remarkable. Nuno could well take heed of Sean Dyche’s comments describing how he prepared ‘Forest to take on, and dispatch, their opponents last weekend:
Nottingham Forest’s strategy?: “We changed the tactical style massively today. I said to them: ‘We’re not passing out, don’t worry about that’. People can question me about it, I’m not bothered” Said manager Sean Dyche.
“I said: ‘We’re going long because these are going to press the life out of you’. Which they tried to do early in the game. And they delivered it, they accepted it.” (As reported by londonworld.com)
More of the same: Callum Wilson’s ‘route one’ goal from last weekend would seem to be Dyche’s tip for beating the Reds. West Ham could not be lucky enough to have the howling gale on their side again next weekend but ‘Forest’s performance shows some astute tactics which could help Nuno’s men compete with Arne Slot’s stuttering champions.
It might not be pretty, but nobody inside London Stadium will care if a couple of ‘route one’ Sam Allardyce – style goals bring the Hammers a trend-bucking victory instead of the ritual-like thrashing.
Sean Dyche, Sam Allardyce, Nuno Espirito Santodyce. Yes, that’ll work for me!