Fullback Battles for West Ham United

Two positions, Left back and right back, with four players to cover between them. Seems like a solid team with reliable depth. So, saga over? Not so fast; on both the left and right side of West Ham’s defensive back four there will be a hard-fought battle for the starting positions.

The Left Backs:

Starting on the right side of the pitch it seems that former Fulham right-back Ryan Fredericks, who signed on a free for West Ham, will have the starting job on day one. The young, skillful outside defender offers an incredible amount of pace along the right side and has looked sharp in his extended preseason showing at right back.

Pellegrini wanted to add speed to his fullback positional players and got that in spades with Fredericks. It is the main reason he’ll be the starter over Zabaleta, simply because he can shadow any attacker defensively and burst up the wings to whip a dangerous ball in for Arnautovic and co. up top.

Pablo Zabaleta, a player who had a hand on the Hammer of the Year trophy a year ago, may not be the likely starter for week one, but he’ll put the pressure on Fredericks. What Zabaleta can boast is a wealth of Premier League experience, something that should help both his and Fredericks game this season he should mentor the young defender.

Look for Zabaleta to see time in West Ham’s cup teams, or when they need to shut down a team defensively to ride out a win. His experience is paramount for West Ham’s success on the right-hand side, even if he isn’t starting.

The Right Backs: 

The left side of the pitch is a little more competitive; the battle comes down to offense vs. defense. Arthur Masuaku has put his name in the hat as one of the Premier Leagues best dribblers with stellar performances last season. However, questions about how defensively strong he is have arisen due to his propensity to go forward.

Masuaku is just 24 years old and is honing his abilities in the top flight of English football. The left-back did have three league assists last year, adding a lightning bolt of a goal against Bolton in the EFL Cup, showing he can have a positive impact offensively. So, Is it time to invest in the young fullback with full game time in hopes that his defensive prowess comes around?

The other option for Pellegrini is Aaron Cresswell. He assisted Chicharito’s goal in West Ham’s preseason closing game against Angers. He led the team in assists last season with seven and is more defensively sound than Masuaku.

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Cresswell offers a little bit more of what you would expect in a traditional fullback. Disciplined,picks his spots when overlapping, and prioritizes defensive coverage over creating offensively. As well, he’ll rely on whipped crosses over dangling dribbles to supply his forwards.

More defensive minded? Yes. A better passer? Maybe. More experienced? For sure. The case can be made for Cresswell to have his starting position back under Pellegrini.

Ironically enough the decision on who plays left back may come d

own to their defensive midfield coverage. If Rice and Noble can’t hold down the middle of the field look for Pellegrini to play the conservative Cresswell.

Pellegrini will likely choose his teams based on opposition, and the fullbacks will be in the center of this squad fluidity. Having the option of Masuaku and Fredericks on opposite sides of the pitch is enticing in attack, however, the veteran versatility Cresswell and Zabaleta offers gives Pellegrini options. This is a good battle to have on the team, everyone is capable of making a push to be the starter.