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What Is West Ham’s Best Formation?

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West Ham manager Sam Allardyce. pic andy hooperOn Sunday, Sam Allardyce brought back the 5-4-1 formation that West Ham adopted at Manchester United in the FA Cup a few weeks ago. 3 centre backs, 2 wing backs, 4 in midfield and the lone striker. But is this a good formation and when should we use it?

 

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A lot of supporters have had strong opinions on Big Sam’s tactics, most of the time being 4-5-1 – with Kevin Nolan supporting the front man. For a lot of games it has worked, however, in recent weeks, when West Ham have dominated possession and not taken chances that have come their way, especially away from home, there has been a call for us to play a more conventional 4-4-2. But with regards to tactics, there is a lot more to it than how we set up the players. It’s not as easy as everyone thinks it is, and it’s not like Allardyce is playing Football Manager on his computer!

 

Tactics means a team playing to its strengths, setting up differently against different teams, to neutralise their dangers, and then make the most of ours. With the players at Big Sam’s disposal, there is no doubt we are a physical team, which means playing the lone striker allows us to have more in midfield. The 4-5-1 formation is a popular one across the world, and it seems tactics are like clothes, they go in and out of fashion, yet the old ones then come back in sooner or later. I remember playing the 5-4-1 formation under Harry Redknapp, when we had Ian Pearce, Rio Ferdinand and David Unsworth as the 3 centre backs, then Stan Lazaridis and Trevor Sinclair as the wing backs.

 

For me, I like the 4-5-1 formation when Andy Carroll is playing, but he needs the support. We need attacking players to surround him for his knock downs, to pick up the loose ball and keep the ball alive in the final third. To be honest, I can’t see Big Sam budging too much on this formation.

 

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However, I quite like the 5-4-1 formation, but it’s a very defensive formation, and not one we should’ve adopted against Aston Villa at the weekend where we should have attacked them, and exposed their weak defence. For the first time, I questioned the tactics used by Big Sam. I can only assume he used the formation due to our own poor run of results, and the idea was to keep it tight and then second half, push on. The only problem with that is that we are not scoring goals either, so where do we go with it? I see it as a useful formation to play at the bigger clubs, like we did at Man Utd where we limited their chances. Another issue with that is the wing backs need to be fast and very athletic. Guy Demel was ok, but Matt Taylor had a poor game, in fact, he has lost any sort of form he had when he first joined.

 

4-4-2 would leave our midfield exposed to the opposition, as most now play 3 in the middle. It also means that the 2 in midfield need to hold in a bit more too, and not attack. As soon as they attack, the other midfielder will be exposed to a 2 on 1 situation. I’m not a big fan, unless you have top quality midfielders. I agree, with 15 minutes to go, and losing the game, get a second or even a third striker on the pitch and go for broke.

 

For me, I like the 4-5-1 formation, but I don’t see what else Nolan brings to the team any more. I was a big supporter, and he used to bring goals and his leadership – watching him Sunday, he lost possession, didn’t really get a sniff at goal, and in fact, couldn’t even control the ball! I would like to see a midfield of Mark Noble, Mohamed Diame, Matthew Jarvis, Jack Collison and Joe Cole playing the Nolan role as an attacking midfielder. I think Cole also carried goals in him, but has a lot more creativity than Nolan.

 

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I don’t think tactics are as easy as we all make out – if it was that easy then why are we not all football managers?

 

What I would say is give Allardyce time to put his stamp on the side. His first priority is Premier League survival, and he will do it by any means necessary. Hopefully, if we can secure it early, Allardyce will experiment with the team more and we can see what we can do without the pressure of getting results.

 

COME ON YOU IRONS!!

By ChelmoHammer

Follow Me On Twitter: @ChelmoHammer

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12 comments

  • Hugh Bevan says:

    The formation we used against Utd was actually 3-5-2. 3 CB’s, 2 wing backs, 3 CM’s and 2 up front. That is undoubtedly our best formation. We were better than utd that game and were unlucky to lose. The trouble is, Big Sams favourite Nolan doesnt fit that formation.
    4-5-1 is a useless formation as Carroll or whoever is up top gets no support.
    #BigSamOut

  • The best formation should suit who we are playing ! Big Sam plays the same formation against everyone, he just tells the midfield to stay deep when we are away, or attack when we are at home.
    Any team that plays 4-5-1 has to have at least one quality goal scoring midfielder otherwise you end up with the worst goals scored column in the Prem. We are nearly safe, and need another 12 points, lets play 4-3-3 now, rather than in 10 games time, when we don’t have a choice.

  • andy brown says:

    if we had a decent right winger id say 442but we dont id also play joe cole in the middle of midfield so it would have to be 3 5 2

  • Spence55 says:

    Any one that doesnt include Nolan or Vaz Te, both clearly off the pace and simply not good enough at this level. If Carroll is playing then Jarvis must play..its not rocket science. Play two up front, certainly at home and ATTACK the opposition for gods sake. We have no creativity whatsoever in the side, and I would have thought that Joe Cole was bought in to supply some service and intelligence around the final third. He must play in place of the dead weight Nolan who’s goal hanging laziness is way beyond a joke now.

    How much longer will we see the poor bugger whos been selected in the lone front man role to battle 2 defenders all afternoon with no useful support from the midfield or second striker (the dreaded Nolan). I dont care if its Carlton Cole, Andy Carroll or Wellington Paulista..one man just cannot close a back four down, battle defenders, hold the ball up then get in and score goals…Superman would struggle with that kind of workload. We see this scenario every bloody week…why cant the highly trained and paid coaching staff and manager ?????

    • Hugh Bevan says:

      Vaz Te is not a midfielder, Big Sam plays him in midfield thus fans like you think he is not up to it. He scored 24 goals in 30 games last season, more than Andy Carroll scored in his breakthrough season in the Championship but suddenly he is not up to it? Until he is given a chance in his proper position fans need to cut out the needless abuse of him.
      Jarvis has 1 goal and 0 assists in 21 games so I don’t know where your whole if Carroll is playing Jarvis must play thing is coming from because Jarvis has less assists than Joe Cole and Cole on arrived in January.
      You are right about Nolan who is utterly useless. He just isn’t PL class, too slow, no skill and his passing and shooting have been woeful for about 3-4 months now.
      It seems you came to your senses in the second paragraph. I’m just joking but I agree with all what you say in the second paragraph. We only have 1 striker with confidence and that is AC. He’s only confident because he knows Big Sam loves him. The only reason no one else is confident is because of the system Big Sam plays plus he never gives anyone a chance. Plays Vaz Te out of position, doesn’t give Maiga a chance full stop, Chamakh started a couple and thats it, CC got told he could live despite playing incredibly well in AC’s absence. The problem is Big Sam.

  • Spence55 says:

    Hugh. Its nothing to do with Vaz Te and his position mate. I dont think we are watching the same player !!! He is lazy, ineffective and , like Nolan, simply fails to deliver week in week out wherever hes put on the pitch. Forget his goals in the lower league, he is not Prem class, anyone can see that. He is a Championship Player in afraid. His performance recently against Arsenal was one of the worst ive ever seen for a Hammers player and I would have hooked him (and the waste of space Nolan) off after 20 mins. If hes wide he fails to take people on and deliver crosses so whats the point? His passing is weak and his will to battle and recover is just not there. There is just no spark from someone who is supposed to be a creative player.

    Statistics are meaningless and Jarvis illustrates my point. All the guy can do is whip crosses into the box…thats his job in essence. He does that time after time with no messing and with a purpose. If he whips 50 great balls in to the box and Cole misses 50 clear cut headers the stats will show no assists to Jarvis…I rest my case. Dont blame Jarvis just because our finishing is so woeful.If its stats you want (and yes, I still think they are meaningless by and large), last season Jarvis was top of the Prem for deliveries with a mind blowing 271 (OPTA)…Wolves went down..Jarvis’s fault or crap Wolves strikers ???

    At least we are agreed on Nolan…the Lord Lucan of the team.Im convinced there is a trap door beneath the Upton Park pitch…its the only explanation I have !!!!

    • Hugh Bevan says:

      You clearly don’t play football my friend. If you did you would know what a difference being played in the wrong position makes.
      Statistics don’t tell the whole story no but they tell a pretty big one. Joe Cole 2 assists and 1 goal in 6 appearances compared to Jarvis tells a massive story. Even the man you think is useless (Vaz Te) has done better than Jarvis and he’s not even a midfielder! I wont even respond to the comment about CC haha I would get mad at you if I did as I love him 😛 As a season ticket holder I can assure you Jarvis has been ineffective and hasn’t made many good crosses at all. Crossing the ball 271 times doesn’t mean they were good mate. If you have watched him this year it has been the same story. He might have crossed it but by and large they have been rubbish. Joe Cole on the other hand puts it in the right areas.
      And Yes I forgot he was playing against Villa hahaha

      • Spence55 says:

        Still playing regularly in midfield at nearly 60 mate..Had 18 years as a Semi Pro., 15 as a Semi Pro Manager/Coach with a EUFA B Coaching licence. Coached abroad and had my own soccer schools….and you ?????

        Anyone who thinks Vaz Te is better than Jarvis needs glasses or to spend more time concentrating on the finer points of the game. Both Coles are OK in my book…Joe has always been a favourite and will do us a job. Carlton gets a lot of unfair stick and battles away as best he can.Decent lad.

        Havent missed watching a game home or away this season..im a REAL supporter !!COYI…

        • Hugh Bevan says:

          Well I am surprised you don’t cut Vaz Te any slack. I am 19 and play football week in week out. I never said Vaz Te is better (he is a more skillful player) but in midfield he is not better. As a striker Vaz Te is the best we have got, as he showed last season. He needs to play up top with a strike partner and until he is given a chance it is unfair to assume he is not PL class based on what you have seen this season when he is out of position.
          Jarvis has been useless for us and needs to improve. He has been completely ineffective.
          You seem to be suggesting I am not a real supporter? As I have said, I’m a season ticket holder… #COYI

  • Aaron h says:

    I recon west ham should play this:
    Jussi
    Potts, tomkins, Reid, Spence
    Cole, Diame, noble, Jarvis
    Carroll, Paulista

    Subs: spiegel, pogatez, demel, Nolan, Vaz Te, Collison, Cole

  • Spence55 says:

    Hugh…were both Hammers fans…thats good enough for me mate !!! Football is all about opinions and always will be..thats part of the enjoyment ! COYI !!!

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