Assuming Slaven Bilic opts for the 4-2-3-1 formation, the two holding midfield players need to make sure they provide sufficient defensive support because that defensive support was anonymous in the Spurs game.
It is likely that Alex Song will start for the first time in this campaign alongside Kouyate, although some fans have suggested Song and Obiang play in the holding role. If Bilic decided to select Song and Obiang, Kouyate would be pushed further forward which would not be a bad thing considering his clinical nature for a midfielder.
The suspension of Mark Noble may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Some West Ham fans have already called for Noble to be dropped to the bench, but due to his 1 match suspension, Bilic is forced into making at least one alteration to the midfield which started against Spurs.
Kouyate in an interview with the club this week has said that the team needs to defend rather than solely the back four defend. The Senegalese midfielder is correct and we should have done this in the 4-1 loss to Tottenham.
Whether this means a formation change by the Croatian, or just him telling the two holding players to focus on defensive duties before allowing any thought for helping out the attack. Personally, I would continue with the 4-2-3-1 formation and just make clear to the holding midfielders that one of them must stay back whilst attacking for the whole game, and the other is allowed slightly more leniency with regards to travelling forward.
The West Ham defence have made numerous errors leading to goals. We are in fact the team with the highest amount of defensive errors leading to goals which is something that must be improved upon.
Assuming that Song and Kouyate partner up in midfield, I would hope that Bilic has told the former Arsenal player to sit deep and support the defence, and allow Kouyate to go forward more. Of course it depends on the way that West Brom set up at Upton Park, but I would hope that Bilic takes a more defensive approach, and then if Tony Pulis and his side play more defensively, we can become more offensive and hopefully not have to worry about defensive mistakes.
West Ham cannot afford to lose to West Brom today because we will fall down the league table and West Brom will only be 1 point behind us. I want as all Hammer fans do, to watch attacking football but if it means the defence is more secure and stable, I do not mind seeing the team set up more defensively.
Ultimately, West Ham on paper have the better players and if we have more defensive cover then I feel West Ham will return to winning ways, and once again proving any critics that we are capable of staying in the top 6 of the premier league.
Well let’s hope Song is a priority starter for Saturday’s trip to Old Trafford because for reasons only known with the staff he didn’t get any time yesterday. I mean much as I prefer Bilic’s playing style to Allardyce’s, we shouldn’t forget that by Xmas day last year Sam had us in 4th spot on 31 pts. To equal that this year we’d have to win all of our next 3 games. Seeing as we’ve already won at Arsenal, City & Liverpool then why not Man Utd? There’s another arena where we’ve been win-less for so long, and unlike last season where we didn’t have as many options of squad depth needed to cover for injuries, then surely a target has to set of taking apart a Man Utd team who for once look lacking in strike force. Yes, everyone needs to acknowledge that Rooney is past his best, the club are really battling to get goals and the only thing keeping Man Utd in their current lofty position is having one of the strongest defenses in the division. So Song, I feel anyway, has to be a starter this Saturday if we are to stay in contention for a European place next season. If we can win this Saturday then beating Stoke & Swansea directly after the game v Man Utd should be easier. I mean West Ham should’ve won easy yesterday, but West Brom under Pulis are a strong team defensively especially with Olsson & Johnny Evans there. What happened to Reid was freaky, could’ve happened to anyone & will never happen again all season, because even though West Ham couldn’t get that 2nd or 3rd goal, I still felt that with considering all that West Brom had to offer up front, that at least even 1-0 would’ve been enough to bring home the 3 points, and as it turned out, it would have been, had it not been for that freak of a fluke goal. I mean this team this year is just so charged & full of energy & ideas under Bilic, but every club’s team is under all opposition’s microscopes & it seems that they have worked a few things out about our squad this season. Man Utd always play their own game plan and will come at you. If you hold off and let them into our final third to often they will make us pay, no, we have to meet and out compete them in midfield and push up from midfield and put their so far impressive defense under pressure and that is where Song has to come in, especially with our main play-maker Payet out. No bring in Song now while yesterday was only a blip in the squad’s confidence as we can’t afford another West Ham slide & die now, no, not with the move to the new stadium so close. We have the squad to finish a top 6 side, & going into the new stadium as an automatic European group stage qualifyer would be a fitting return!