ClaretandHugh follower John Shetcliffe has put together an analysis of many problem areas in the Hammers style of play and comes to some brutal conclusions on where we need to go from here.
By John Shetcliffe
First and foremost it is pretty obvious that Seb Haller is too isolated as lone target man!
Also I think there’s a need to accept that Mark Noble plays too far upfield without the pace to recover against today’s Premier League opponents. He slows the Hammers’ tempo too and cannot sustain a full 90 minutes!
Masuaku – Time to say goodbye
We have for too long most needed a central defensive midfielder who can play alongside Declan Rice and make penetrative passes forwards (like Alex Song did) to improve the penetrative speed and accuracy of our play.
Our results early season flattered to deceive because in most games Lukasz Fabianski saved us from defeats before we enjoyed a lead!
The defence is poor with Arthur Masuku at fault most games he plays for an opposition goal or two. He gave Benard time for a pirouette in our box before Jimemez was negligently beaten at his near post. We need to dispense with proven poor defender Masuku.
Manu Lanzini and Felipe Anderson were good in earlier matches, but lack consistency. Jack Wilshire cannot play at central defensive midfield anymore, but his passing ability might be better deployed in the 10 role and utilise Lanzini’s energies in a deeper role.
We need another Alex Song
The Hammers start every match this season slowly – why not warm them up vigourously? And we are generally outfought in effort because our players are too lightweight against high energy, pressing, robust teams like Sheffield United!
The players are often lethargic until we go behind and when we concede one goal we often concede two which demonstrates a lack of concentration especially before and after half time and and towards the final whistle.
Pellegrini needs an expert defensive coach ASAP and to get the right combination in midfield because when we lead 1- 0; we rarely finish opponents off with a second soon after, which leaves us defensively vulnerable to comebacks as Palace demonstrated.
For matches against high energy pressing teams the Hammers need to significantly up our pressing energy levels and speed of play instead of playing it across every member of the back four. We need to get the ball up the wings sooner to our players in space instead of when they are closed down!
We must battle Sheffield United to achieve our share of possession and then use our superior players to score the goals with higher tempo football which has been proven but only appeared in glimpses to secure our wins this season.
Good article, John – and very accurate.
I doubt we are capable of “high tempo” though, everything about the team is too slow and laboured. I think we’ll struggle against an organised team like the Blades, I’m going for 1-1.
Fingers crossed I’m well out and we smash them !!
Totally agree….masauku not premier league defender…nobes love him but treads water getting back…and Rice covering the midfield on his own sometimes…lanzinni and Anderson get knocked off the ball so easily and depth of squad not good enough… The board have under invested consistently net spend over the years backs it up and it shows in where we have finished in the table …we are what we are 8th at best 12th at worst end of… COYI
Hugh
Youve left out Yarmo’s lack of pace and endurance to last more than a half.
So much to remember isn’t there Marty SIGH
Absolutely agree with every word.I fear MPs philosophy of controlled build up play will not change,it worked with Citeh because of the quality they have and maybe in Spain where they tend to play at a slower tempo.Having said that my correct score bets will be on us nicking it 1-0or 2-1 tomorrow.
Wow. And the positives are?…
Might as well go and support another team if we’re that bad. You’ll drive yourself into an early grave mate. Honestly, the negativity of West Ham ‘fans’ drives me potty sometimes.
Agree CC, I have no idea why this is an article, seems like a ranting reply from a keyboard warrior or talksport dj…
MP will sort things out, he knows we need to be better defensively he says it almost every interview. What Masuaku lacks in defensive ability he makes up for in possession going forward. MP wants to play a game where we are on the front foot, n which case Haller shouldn’t be isolated its the fact that teams are hemming us in and overloading in attack like Everton did, they played a high risk game and it paid off because we didn’t react well enough on the day. That game aside we have been the better team in every other fixture except against City first game of the season.
I do hope we can inject more pace into the midfield, the other players aren’t slow but with the exception of Anderson we lack the pace to penetrate on the counter, hopefully Antonio will recover well and quickly because we miss having that option. As for Nobes I have often criticised him but without him there is a lack of leadership in the centre of the park, it would have been good had we been able to sign Gomes but we didn’t, we should look for a player with a similar skillset but also leadership skills, imho at the end of the season we will be in the top 8 and hopefully better than that. COYI !!!
Long time since I have read such an ” accurate” assessment of our squad. Top notch John.
CountryCockney we would love to be more optimistic but having been a Hammers supporter for nearly 50yrs now unfortunately I have become a realist at the very best /bordering on pessimism.
Please highlight your positives of this current squad and I will try my utmost to agree with you but I don’t think I can unfortunately.
Always slow out of the box, no high pressing, cannot close out games when ahead, no box to box midfielder, only one striker up front and too many players who are woefully weak when defending! For flip sake all I am asking is for the players to leave everything out there on the pitch, they should collapse on the field at the full time whistle. Play for the badge man, show some “balls”, old time true grit and guts… If we get beat by a better team do be it but I am not seeing it and MP for me is over the hill… Eddie Howe please… anytime. COYI… 1-0 will be gladly accepted with a gutsy performance overshadowing all else. Fans love players who play with passion and pride… Oh boy bring back Billy Bonds and the like…
i agree with every word i have sat there for home games and watch west ham not competing. not getting in their faces and i have been envious of many visiting teams producing quality football with individuals in our team not able to produce the same with only rare glimpses of real quality
Hi, John.
Quite rightly, you criticised Arthur Masuaku as a Left Back. For that, you’ll have to blame the Manager.
Surely the boss can see that he likes to get forward and cross balls in from the left, as he did so brilliantly against Norwich.
Of course, he was suspended for for the Man Utd game, but only a fool couldn’t see the difference in the performance. Sure we won both games, but unlike the Norwich game we struggled to get into the penalty area.
I was expecting the Manager to notice this difference and bring Arthur back for the Palace game – but no. As a result, we, once again, found it hard to get into the penalty area.
Certainly in Home games, Arthur has never let us down when he plays in this position – remember Fulham (Home) last season.
And so it’s Sheffield United next and once again no Arthur to cross the ball in from the left. Yes, once again we’ll be struggling to breach their penalty area – going round the houses.
If struggle as I predict and fail to get three points, the knives will be out for the boss – and I think that’s fair.