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Why West Ham should start Marko Arnautovic AND Chicharito

By Adam Smith

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 01: Javier Hernandez of West Ham United celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and West Ham United at St. James Park on December 1, 2018 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 01: Javier Hernandez of West Ham United celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and West Ham United at St. James Park on December 1, 2018 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /
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West Ham are looking to sweep the season series with promoted side Fulham traveling across London to the Olympic Stadium. On the docket for West Ham? A possible striker duo that could bury Fulham fast.

The Hammers can move past the two different answers to the question of which striker should start for the Fulham match by moving back to the dual-striker system they used in December. Chicharito was used in a tandem striker system with Arnautovic out injured, and now it’s time to return to that.

As mentioned, West Ham deployed this system against Fulham in the teams’ last meeting. Michail Antonio featured beside Chicharito atop a 4-2-2-2 team, with Snodgrass and Anderson supporting the strikers.

With a 2-0 win, West Ham thrived against the defensively weak side, using their strikers to open up space for their wingers/attacking midfielders. Snodgrass’ goal was a direct result of this tactic as he drifted away from the centre-backs who were covering the strikers to find space for a blistering shot.

The second goal saw Chicharito head the ball backward to Antonio who megged the keeper to put the game out of reach early. It was a clinical finish and beautiful assist that were both created by the confusion and chaos having dual strikers brought to the game.

West Ham’s team is slowly starting to get pieced together again after relentless injuries have kept the squad well away from 100%. With Arnautovic back healthy and Chicharito looking dangerous in the last two matches, the dual-striker system doesn’t force Pellegrini to choose between these two centre-forwards.

light. Trending. Predicting West Ham’s bench for the Fulham Match

Antonio can play right-winger and bring his patented speed and physicality, Anderson will patrol the left side with his agility and dribbling, leaving Rice and Noble in the middle of the pitch to fill the void below Arnautovic and Chicharito.

If the Iron’s have the desire to reach European football THIS season they cannot keep arguably their best player on the bench to force him to learn a lesson. Arnautovic made a mess of his transfer request in January, but is back and needs to get into the team.

Rather than dropping and demoting Chicharito to facilitate this, Pellegrini can use the fragility of his opponent to justify rolling his two best strikers out together. Europa League will depend on the team playing as a unit and getting great performances from their best players. It’s time to clean the slate for a late season push.