West Ham will have their home form tested once again when the Champions visit the Boleyn Ground. Jose Mourinho’s men have not performed so far this season and the Hammers will feel that they have a chance of getting a result in this one.
If Dimitri Payet continues to perform to the standard he has been producing so far, the Hammers always stand a good chance no matter what opposition they are up against. Whether Mourinho opts for Ramires of Matic in the defensive midfield role remains to be seen. Matic performed well in the midweek Champions League fixture against Dynamo Kiev so he is the favourite to start this weekend.
If Payet is to cause problems for Chelsea, he will need to find himself some space in the pockets between Chelsea’s midfield and defence. His position on the pitch naturally encourages him to operate in these areas and if he finds the space, he will punish the opposition.
Chelsea are usually very narrow in these areas as they try to prevent players finding space. However, Everton took advantage of Chelsea’s narrow defending in their 3-0 home victory when Naismith made excellent late runs into the box. The best way to deal with a compact defence is with keen runners and precise play. The Hammers have that in abundance with the likes of Diafra Sakho and the returning Enner Valencia. Payet will be the key in this game as he is the one capable of picking a pass in a tight defence.
Mourinho will be typically cautious as he looks to get points on the board. Although the Portuguese man has had a tough start to the season, he will look to nullify West Ham’s threats before he thinks about his own side’s strengths, especially when the Blues are struggling for form anyway.
Nemanja Matic has developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the country and Payet will have his work cut out against the Serbian. Nevertheless, West Ham are often very effective in attacking as a unit with an attacking trio supporting the striker. This often makes them difficult to track, freeing up space to hurt the opposition.
Matic was superb for the champions last season
The game will certainly be a fascinating one in a tactical sense as it will be interesting to see how Bilic sets his team up against a good side at home. Chelsea will certainly pose a threat but the Hammers have found a real sense of attacking flair under Bilic, this could be a close one.
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