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Lessons learned and patience shown in West Ham predicted XI

By Adam Smith

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 10: Michail Antonio of West Ham United in action with Kyle Walker of Manchester City during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester City at London Stadium on August 10, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 10: Michail Antonio of West Ham United in action with Kyle Walker of Manchester City during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester City at London Stadium on August 10, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) /
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West Ham have a tough task against them, travelling to Manchester to play the reigning champs. Could some patience and a lesson learned help to shape a better-suited team to slay this dragon, though?

Let’s start with a lesson learned – West Ham doesn’t currently have the players to succeed in a back-five formation. It has failed and failed again, and it’s time to stick with using the formation that best suits the team.

For this, I’ve opted for a 4-4-2. The wide players stay deep enough to help close down the Manchester City counter-attack and midfield possession game, while the forwards pressure the long ball with aerial threats and speed.

The team will also use a back four, which some could see as a detriment. The players in this squad can’t grasp a five-at-the-back formation, with the wingbacks unable to find the balance between offence and defence. To simplify the game plan and play to the players’ skillsets, it has to be a 4-4-2.

Here is the predicted team:

Fabianski

Fredericks – Diop – Ogbonna – Cresswell

Snodgrass – Soucek – Rice – Anderson

Haller – Antonio

Bench: Randolph, Masuaku, Noble, Lanzini, Fornals, Bowen, Ajeti

This team is attacking enough with Michail Antonio, Sebastien Haller, Felipe Anderson, and Robert Snodgrass to push the Man City defence when needed, but is also balanced enough with two defensive midfielders in Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek holding the team together and protecting the back four.

This team also pushes Pablo Zabaleta, Carlos Sanchez, and newly fit Andriy Yarmolenko off the bench and into the reserve team. Arthur Masuaku can factor in as a fullback or forward, Mark Noble is the perfect midfield substitution to see out the game, and Jarrod Bowen should see game time in his Premier League debut.

Many will call for Jarrod Bowen to get the start over Sebastien Haller who is currently massively out of form. While this would be the idyllic as Bowen’s change of pace could inspire a team performance in a perfect world, but Moyes may be right in insulating him against Man City in his first game.

Next. West Ham would be crazy to drop Sebastien Haller for Man City game. dark

Can this team beat Man City? Sure! Should they beat Man City? Probably not. Do they need to beat Man City? Kind of. As pressure mounts on West Ham to find points in any scenario they can, a result away to City could inspire a relegation escape and get them a needed buffer from their bottom-three compatriots. No time like the present, right?