Having been at the Norwich game on Saturday I think that it is clear to tell with both that result and the Leicester and Bournemouth results, West Ham haven’t quite found the correct balance between defending and attacking as a team.
Through looking at the performance on Saturday, at times it looked as if we would try and pass our way around Norwich, but then at the same time, there were long balls up from the defence towards Sakho which he dealt with reasonably well considering that is a style of play he is not accustomed to.
The strategy or the style of play is far simpler to work out for away fixtures, especially against the bigger teams. As we saw against Manchester city, we absorbed the pressure and hit them on the counter attack whilst playing some good football. However, the home team generally is expected to take the initiative and be on the front foot, yet in all of the club’s home games so far excluding the Newcastle game, we have not taken the initiative or the front foot right away and we have struggled a bit in the Norwich game and were punished in the Leicester and Bournemouth games.
Slaven Bilic hasn’t yet found the best way to win games at home, by no means is it an easy thing to do and I am not suggesting a specific way in which I feel the club could win more games. Although, this might become a more prominent issue if we continue to concede a goal early on and go on to subsequently lose.
As West Ham fans, we all want to see the club play attractive football yet sometimes in the Premier League, teams will come to Upton Park and sit back and defend and expect us to dictate the play which can be very difficult. Norwich played this way on Saturday and attempted to hit us on the counter attack. When in future teams play a more defensive style of football, we have to pass it quicker and I thought some of our build up play against Norwich started off well but we were too slow in making a pass or getting a shot off and therefore, we had to pass it backwards. If West Ham come up against opposition at Upton Park who want to keep the ball more, then absorb that pressure and then hit them on the counter attack.
Bilic, it could be argued, doesn’t need to find a specific way to play at Upton Park, maybe he can just be adaptable and set the team up according to the opposition. Sometimes being the home team has added pressure because generally, supporters expect you to take the initiative and be on the front foot. However I disagree, if Bilic can adapt the style of football West ham play and alter according to opposition, West Ham will win more consistently at home and make Upton Park a ‘difficult place to go’ as the pundits say.
Also, Adrian said in an interview after the Norwich game “we need to start faster in games”. I completely agree with the Spaniard, because no matter whether we come into a game at Upton Park with the intention of playing counter attacking football, or whether we are going to take it to the opposition and attempt to dominate possession, a fast start is invaluable and frightens teams. A fast start is what has served Leicester so well and is the reason they have started excellently.
To summarise, if West Ham can start quicker and press teams high up the pitch when both home and away, we will become more successful. But if the club can perhaps become more adaptable when playing at home, West Ham will undoubtedly become a force to be reckoned with.
We need to play 442 diamond at home!
We should be putting pressure on teams at home not soak it up and counter attack.
We need a quick thinking pacy and composed midfield player that can replace noble.
Just like Nolan, We continue to insist on playing Noble. Yes he has scored two goals but overall play is best described as “Plodding”. Keep an eye on Noble when the opponent has the ball. He lags behind. keeps a 10 yard distance and runs parralel. In othe words, “no mans land”. Simple question. How many of the Premier League starting eleven will Noble get in?
I rest my case.