Julen Lopetegui seems to be like he could also be compelled right into a rethink at West Ham after solely choosing up 4 factors from their opening 5 Premier League fixtures this marketing campaign.
This comes after David Moyes parted with the membership on the finish of final season, with Lopetegui taking on and trying to implement a extra possession-heavy model of soccer.
Sadly, it has not gone nicely. The Hammers have averaged 44.4% possession over their 5 video games, the sixth worst within the league for this metric. That is on high of their 82.8% cross accuracy, the tenth worst within the division.
So as to implement this fashion of soccer, the midfield is extraordinarily vital to allow you to flow into possession, hold the ball, penetrate by way of the traces, and in addition get well in transition to assist defend, that means putting steadiness in that midfield is Lopetegui’s largest battle.
West Ham’s midfield catastrophe in opposition to Chelsea
West Ham began the sport in opposition to Chelsea with Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez as a double pivot pairing, with Lucas Paqueta simply in entrance.
Nevertheless, after simply 33 minutes, Lopetegui had seen sufficient and took Rodriguez out, bringing Tomas Soucek into the sport for some further physicality in the course of the park.
The trio of Rodriguez, Alvarez, and Paqueta, misplaced the ball a complete of 29 instances, usually permitting Chelsea to show defence to assault rapidly, splitting them open and creating huge probabilities, some even ending in targets.
The midfield steadiness is just not being struck, as Paqueta constantly has to drop deep to obtain and attempt to play by way of the traces. Alvarez and Rodriguez battle too, while a scarcity of mobility within the pivot stops West Ham defending transitions successfully, usually letting groups assault their again 4 fairly simply, with little stress.
So, what is the resolution?
West Ham’s midfield resolution
Fortunately for Lopetegui, he might have his repair able to enter the fray, as Spanish midfielder, Carlos Soler, who joined on mortgage this summer season from PSG made his first appearances in a West Ham shirt previously week, coming from the bench in opposition to Fulham and the Blues.
Soler made 28 appearances for PSG final season in all competitions, scoring two targets, offering 4 assists, and totaling 1,277 minutes performed.
Soler (23/24) vs Alvarez & Rodriguez | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Stats (per 90 minutes) | Soler | Alvarez | Rodriguez |
Passes Tried | 64.3 | 49.2 | 44.1 |
Passes Accomplished | 55.1 | 43.6 | 36.3 |
Cross Accuracy % | 85.7% | 88.6% | 82.3% |
xAG | 0.20 | 0.04 | 0.00 |
Key Passes | 1.64 | 1.20 | 0.00 |
Passes into Last Third | 4.75 | 6.00 | 1.95 |
Passes into Pen Space | 1.39 | 0.80 | 0.24 |
Tackles | 1.23 | 3.20 | 2.44 |
Interceptions | 0.56 | 0.97 | 1.78 |
Stats taken from FBref | |||
With West Ham having discovered themselves dropping deeper and deeper to search out gamers that may progress the ball, seeing Paqueta transfer deep, and even Alvarez dropping into the backline, to obtain going through forwards, one thing wants to vary.
That is the place Soler comes into the equation. What he provides you is technical safety and a participant who can obtain on the backfoot to play ahead and thru.
While each Alvarez and Rodriguez provide higher defensive qualities in midfield than Soler, including the progressive passing and ball safety of the Spaniard to regulate the sport alongside one of many extra defensive-minded midfielders, would supply a greater steadiness for everybody to succeed.
