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Why West Ham’s New Back Three Can Stop Everton

By Scott Johnson

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 26: Cheikhou Kouyate of West Ham United celebrates scoring with Angelo Ogbonna during the EFL Cup Fourth Round match between West Ham United and Chelsea at London Stadium on October 26, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Arfa Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 26: Cheikhou Kouyate of West Ham United celebrates scoring with Angelo Ogbonna during the EFL Cup Fourth Round match between West Ham United and Chelsea at London Stadium on October 26, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Arfa Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images) /
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West Ham have seen something of a mini-revival of late. Unbeaten in four with three wins on the bounce is a big improvement from the start of the season. But Everton away is another big task, can our new defensive setup help freeze them out?

The New System

At the start of the season we looked frail. In fact, we looked defensively leaky last year as well. But no-one noticed because of all the goals we were scoring. As such, it’s taken a very big and bold move from Slaven Bilic to completely change the formation and see West Ham’s defensive fortunes improve dramatically.

With three centre-backs and two wing backs, plus the addition of a true holding midfielder, we look strong. Reid, Kouyate and Ogbonna look comfortable, and they seem to know what the other will do. Cresswell was born to play wingback. Quick on the defensive side but always willing to bomb forwards and swing a cross in. Antonio has been solid on the right as well, although less defensive than Cresswell is.

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What attacking threats will they be up against?

Everton’s Danger Men

Romelu Lukaku is the obvious danger man here. He’s one of the top strikers in the league and on his day he’s almost unstoppable. One of the big things West Ham have to do is restrict the supply, or at least the quality of the supply, coming into the Belgian front man.

Reid has looked almost unbeatable in the air recently. The centre figure in the back three his job usually involves picking up the main striker. Here he will have to stick to Lukaku like glue. No free headers, no easy turns to get a shot away. He can do it, but it will be hard.

Kouyate will also have a big role to play when it comes to Lukaku. When he drops off the back line to pick up the ball Kouyate must get there. As the quickest of the back three his role has been to push forward when the spaces have appeared. Obiang has also helped here by dropping in, but his main role will come in later.

Bolasie, the new signing, is also a worry. He can switch wings and is quick on the break. However I think our wing backs are suited perfectly to sorting this out. Cresswell’s positioning and experience is more than a match for Bolasie. Whereas Antonio on the other side can match the Everton man for power and pace on the run.

The Creators

Barkley, and almost certainly Mirallas, will be Everton’s creators in chief. Mirallas out wide will be left to the wing backs, who need to keep close to the winger to stop him spreading the play as he offers a different threat to Bolasie who’s skill and pace makes getting close a danger.

Barkley need’s to be stopped at the source. Noble can pick him up when he’s dropped deeper but it will fall to Obiang to stop the Englishman from pressing forward into dangerous positions. West Ham haven’t lost in the last 6 games Obiang has played, winning 5 of them, and he is key in this match to stopping the attacking threat that Everton pose.

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If Lukaku gets on the ball regularly and in space then he is a danger. West Ham won’t be able to do much other than watch on in hope, so they need to work together as a defensive unit to make sure that doesn’t happen often enough.