Plans to build upon the current squad are already underway, with six players set to leave the club in June and rumours arising about possible star players coming to the Boleyn. The Hammers have been set a tough task to stay in the Premier League and the board have already promised to invest in the rebuilding of the squad to insure that the club will be competitive come next season. One question brought up by Hammers fans has been how the team will play? And what philosophy will the side adopt?
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Recently, we have seen Chelsea miraculously win the Champions League, fending off Bayern Munich in the final and Barcelona in the semis. They combined luck with skill. Chelsea’s defensive approach was brought in under Roberto Di Matteo to great success for the Chelsea team, who completed the double with a win over Bayern in Munich. It is not the first time however, that we have seen success through defensive tactics this season. Real Madrid managed to get a vital win at the Nou Camp against arch rivals Barcelona, despite the home team dominating throughout, which led to the La Liga title. The combination of composed and disciplined defensive play with swift and clinical counter-attacks has been the key for Mourinho’s Los Blancos.
Next season will be an enormous step up for the Hammers, with the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, all boasting world-class players. Could we see a more defensive approach from the Hammers to try and combat the attacking prowess of these top sides? Moreover, the quality of mid-table teams in the Premier League must not be underestimated and it is no coincidence that there are so many twists and turns in the Premier League, it is due to the abundance of great players we have in the Premier League.
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A counter attacking style has been very successful for Mourinho’s teams throughout his career. The combination of strict defensive organisation and rapid and focused attacks led the Portuguese
manager to the Champions League title in 2010 with Inter Milan. However to play counter attacking football successfully, you have to be strictly organised at the back and therefore you must have very intelligent defenders and midfielders whose concentration must be second to none. Moreover, it is essential to have very fast wide players to exploit the space and to create chances. To play in this way it would take full dedication from the whole team and also we would have to heavily invest in players who could fit this style. In addition to this, Mourinho’s style has not pleased the Real Madrid fans, who have been disappointed with the way in which his side have approached the most recent El Clasicos. Madrid’s fine history of attacking football does not relate to the new style and many of the Madrid fans have been vocal over their disapproval of the current philosophy. Whether the Hammers fans would enjoy “parking the bus” is debatable, seeing as the fans are very wary of the long ball style which we have seen this season under Sam Allardyce.
Big Sam may decide to adopt a more attacking and expansive philosophy. Both Swansea and Norwich have enjoyed successful seasons in the Premier League following promotion from the
Championship. Norwich scored 52 goals last season, more than Liverpool and Everton. Their attacking football excelled them to a mid-table position and there is plenty for the Canaries to build upon. Swansea showed the Premier League that there is no need to spend many millions on foreign talent to play good football. There passing game was likened to Barcelona at times and under
Brendan Rodgers they finished 11th in the Premier League, above Stoke, at the opposite end of the spectrum of footballing styles. The way that Swansea played last season epitomised the way that
football is evolving and if the Swans can build upon this season’s success, they could become a real force in the Premier League.
It would be very naive not to try to emulate parts of Barcelona’s style. The way that they retain possession and probe until the chance arises is almost unplayable and Swansea’s use of this style
has been very successful for them. Moreover, City have gone out to dominate possession against sides this season and it has led to the Premier League title. However, in cup competitions, as Chelsea have shown, sometimes this philosophy does not work as well as in the League. Chelsea’s defensive approach brought them success in the Champions League (albeit through a huge amount of luck) and also it helped Madrid beat Barça in the League (although this match was like a cup final).
Sam faces a big decision, will he stick with a long ball tactic although there is evidence that it is a dying style, or will he adopt one of these two tactics for success in the Premier League? Will he
mix and match to suit the opposition? Or are there any other styles that he may adopt? Tweet Me @TollyCoburn
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