Time for those of us who endured Graham Potter’s fumbling formation set – ups and dour selection policy to suspend judgement: Instead of chucking out everything associated with the old manager perhaps it is time to reconsider some of the failed strategies of the man instead of rejecting everything ‘Potter-like’ out of hand.
Certainly that is the impression given by Nuno Espírito Santo who appears to be heading back towards [shudder] the three at the back formation that came in for so much criticism.
Whilst West Ham fans who watched it might claim that it morphed into a ‘nine at the back’ bus-parking exercise in disguise, the slightly more objective people at footballinsider247.com believe it to be the “new tactical plan that will guarantee survival”.
“Nuno has worked wonders with a back three formation before”
The report trumpets, going on to explain:
“This switch makes a lot of sense for Nuno and the Hammers’ squad…When looking at the players he has at his disposal, it could not be more obvious that a variation of 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 is the way forward, with the likes of Max Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos already used to lining up that way after Potter deployed similar tactics last season.
Summer signing El Hadji Malick Diouf was key going forward against Everton a few weeks ago, and that was when he was playing as an out-and-out left-back, so putting him in a more advanced area is sure to benefit their attacking play too.”
I’ll have to remain a doubting Thomas for the moment. In real terms I guess the problem so many Hammers fans had with Potter’s incarnation of 3-5-2 is that the ‘5’ inevitably ended up being pushed back and defending ,with the three slow horses in midfield.
If Nuno swops in the newer, faster midfield and is able to zip the ball forward in transition, maybe, just maybe there is hope on the horizon.
Don’t expect me to be cheering when the squad is announced on Monday night with no striker, though. I’m firmly from the Mike Bassett, Football Manager era. If it’s not 4-4-2 it’ll not work.
Teams that play 5 at the back are generally because the centre backs can’t defend.
We know this is definitely the case and we have £100m spent on three of them, Mavrapanos, Tobido and Kilman.
If we play 5 the back, it means you take out Summerville as a starter because you need 3 in the middle unless you drop Bowen.
So is the answer to put more poor players in the team or play your best ones?
I know where I would look…
If they play a 3-4-3 like the U21’s have it can work, that’s an attacking formation,the center backs push up rather than push back and have pace,we don’t have pace in our back 3.
With the U21’s coaches having an influence we could see this.The midfiled 4 have to be mobile and quick.The front 3 hard working.
I can see a front 3 of Summerville,Marshall and Bowen.The midfield is less certain.How does Paqueta fit in ? Diouf on the left,Potts/Magassa plus Fernandes. That leaves right wing,AWB will surely be in a back 3. Can’t see an outlet on the right tbh
Works for Glasner at Palace.