Predicting a new West Ham formation for the Norwich match

Heading into this match my predictions have left me 0/3 to start the season. In my search to guess at least one West Ham team correctly, I am changing things up for the Hammers and picking a new formation ahead of the Norwich match.

Previously the formation was 4-1-4-1 that plays like a 4-2-3-1 in-game. The extra central midfield position fills the box-to-box role and had Mark Noble patrolling it last match, allowing him to switch between attacking and defending as needed. Instead, the new formation will see more solid position locking with less free-roaming defensive midfielders.

Yes, it’s time to bring out everyone’s favorite formation, the 4-4-2 or if you’re fancy the 4-2-2-2. Manuel Pellegrini has used this formation frequently in his past, deploying two strikers to bring more firepower to the match, supporting them with two high and wide attacking midfielders, who are anchored by two holding midfielders.

So, here is the predicted team:

Fabianski

Fredericks – Diop – Ogbonna – Masuaku

Rice – Noble

Lanzini – Anderson

Haller – Chicharito

Not a lot of surprises when it comes to personnel here except the secondary striker, so let’s address that first. Chicharito is back from a slight knee injury that kept him out of the team for the Cup match as well as the Watford match so that means he’s starting. Hernandez scored the only goal in a difficult match against Brighton match and deserves to get a look alongside Haller, which this match should provide.

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As much as this formation allows Chicharito to draw into a favorable position, it also supports Haller and Ajeti. Haller played alongside Luka Jovic last season at Frankfurt in a lethal dual striker system and putting him with a clinical finisher like Hernandez could produce similar results. Also, Ajeti needs more playtime and a dual striker system should allow for him to come off the bench.

A seven-man bench of Roberto, Zabaleta, Balbuena, Sanchez, Fornals, Yarmolenko, and Ajeti would also be solid. That would leave Snodgrass and Cresswell the odd men out, but both played at Newport midweek for a full 90 minutes.

Fornals could come in for either Lanzini or Anderson as an attacking midfielder, likely slotting in on the right side, while Ajeti would be a replacement for Hernandez after 60 minutes. Sanchez, who impressed against Newport, could fill in for Noble or Rice to close out the match or replace an attacker and defend a lead with a packed midfield.

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It’s probably incorrect but I would like to see a new look to the team after a few rocky performances defensively to start the season. Keeping Noble deep beside Rice could help shutdown Norwich’s attack and could be the first step in solidifying the team defensively!