Much like his first few games as West Ham’s manager last season, Nuno undertook a fair bit of tinkering with his midfield to arrive at the right pairing within the Championship’s first few games.
Kanté and Orford were in, then out of the side along with a hastily discarded James Ward-Prowse, as the Portuguese coach waited for the arrivals late on in the window of the two players who have subsequently revolutionised his West Ham side.
The pairing of Engels and Mukasa in midfield, (‘Mr Reliable and Hollywood‘-covered by Claret and Hugh yesterday) has seen a structure and solidity leading to a West Ham team with a better defensive and offensive platform: In addition it has seen the end of Nuno’s experimentation with Mohamadou Kanté as a defensive midfielder.
And the results have spoken for themselves.
Kanté has looked a different player, with a goal against Derby and a stunner against Wrexham, running into space with his explosive finish. Don’t forget his assist in the Carabao Cup against Portsmouth in August when he was deployed as a forward-running attacking option rather than a defensive midfielder.
As Greenstreethammers.com suggest;
“Three different moments, three different phases of the season, and the common thread is identical: Kanté with the ball at his feet and grass in front of him….Kanté’s best moments this season have all come with him facing forward, attacking space rather than building play from deep.”
Its taken a few games but Nuno seems to have learned how to get the best out of his French prodigy who, let us not forget, is still just twenty years old and looking like he has a stunning future – if West Ham can play to his strengths.
Let Orford, Alvarez or Magassa be the defensive options from the bench. Kanté going forward offers a breathtaking sight in this division as his pace and power seems, on occasion, unstoppable. He will be an undoubted beneficiary of West Ham’s drop into the championship as he’d have been unlikely to see quite so much game time had the Irons remained in the Premier League.
Providing Nuno gets it right, it looks as if supporters are in for a treat watching the young Frenchman develop this season.
There were others commenting that Kante is not one to receiving passes in a forward position and he is better coming from deep rather than being forward. It is difficult to determine who is right, you or the others. I must admit personally I think Kante is better forward rather than a deep lying player.
When he goes forwards with the ball he is playing as he did in the U21s. I’m realising Mark Robson keeps getting it right all the time.
Great to have Kante & I hope we also see WHU play 4-3-3 sometimes, when the team look balanced and can have 3 excellent midfielders on the pitch (Kante, Engels, Mukasa with Orford, also a talent).
Think it was against Derby maybe, NES switched from 4-2-4 to 4-3-3 for the 1s time, to hold a lead and still look threatening, not switching to 5 at the back as in the past.
His use of 4-2-4 is working as he has the right midfielders for it, otherwise impossible as they get overrun. Now, it is better than if we had 2 Fernandeses in midfield (yep, that’s the plural of Fernandes!).
To have such a strong (and young) midfield cannot be easy to create and is a great sign for the future, while have Orford, soon Fearon, who also have a lot of ability & skill. I’m looking forward to it and with players such as these you have to attack for them to shine.
Damned by faint praise Martin. I think Nuno deserves alot of credit for his selections this season. Many, including myself, saw Makasa as the obvious choice for a number 10 role in place of Pablo but instead he is now in a deeper role allowing Piroe and Taty to play together. Not the actions of a manager with an overly negative mindset. I also thinks he deserves credit for perservering with the Dinos Kilman combination whereas many would have kicked the later into the long grass by now. Whether we all like it or not, Nuno is here for the season, so let’s back the guy and see where he can take us.
Just need for Nuno to lower his guard and play Alvarez and Magassa.
Easier said than done hopefully he will see this gives him better options.
If they shine could mean a sale in January or better transfer fees in Summer.
If whu go up there will be a major revamp.
Dear God not Alvarez. A walking red card.
Might take Nuno just as long to realise he needs Magassa or Alvarez for some or during games. He’s a very slow learner it seems.
I think most of us always saw him as a powerful box to box midfielder and we are being proved correct