West Ham: Three players that could benefit from a position change

The last time David Moyes was at West Ham, he made some key changes player-wise on the pitch. He could do it again and it would benefit these three players.

It can be a risky move for a manager to take a professional athlete and change-up their routine and their comfort but it has worked before. Circa the last time the Gaffer was here at West Ham and he moved Marko Arnautovic up top instead of struggling down the left side of the pitch.

Currently, for the Hammers, they have a few players that are either struggling in their current position or have been surpassed. Instead of just selling them off for probably less value than what they came in with, why not change them up and train them in a new role with this time off and even for next season.

Player: Andriy Yarmolenko

Swap: Right Midfield/Winger to Center-forward

The Ukrainian international has spent a lifetime in football and at the age of 30, he’s certainly over his prime or the tail end of it. So, moving positions now might seem idiotic but in this case, it wouldn’t be a complete overhaul for Yarmolenko.

He has played a career total of 391 matches with the bulk of them (218) down the right side of the pitch. Out of the remaining 173 matches where he wasn’t playing there, he’s only played 8 times as a CF or striker where he scored 2 times.

The reason for this switch is that it seems like he may have missed his calling at West Ham and either Jarrod Bowen or Michail Antonio has been getting the call over him. The Hammers require strikers and Yarmo could link up well with Haller. It wouldn’t be pacy but keeping him on the right of Seb or coming on as a late-game sub would be beneficial and maybe boost him up.

Player: Arthur Masuaku

Swap Left-back to Left-midfielder/Winger

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As an already self-proclaimed winger, Masuaku has the confidence to play the part. Already playing as an LM 3 times this season would be a reason to steer Moyes’ head that way especially with his crossing ability and his pace and willingness to take the defender on.

46 of his 196 career matches have been played as a left midfielder so this role, like Yarmolenko, wouldn’t be a complete swap for him but it does seem like his time at LB is done with how Aaron Cresswell has taken back over the position and the rumors of new players being targeted are starting to come in.

The only question mark is that the LM role is pretty packed with Felipe Anderson, Grady Diangana, and the youthful Nathan Holland so moving him into an already full role might not be the smartest when the club could just sell him but as Diangana and Holland continue to grow, wouldn’t it be nice to have an EPL proven player as a back up in that role?

Player: Albian Ajeti

Swap: Striker to Right midfielder/Winger

In what could be a complete swap for Yarmolenko, moving Ajeti to the right side would not only get him time again but allow him to hit the refresh button and grow in his career. This move would be the most exciting of the moves only because he has only played there twice.

The Switz striker has yet to get it going and even when he has, it just hasn’t happened. His passion is there (almost too much) but the skill and time haven’t worked out. Much like Masuaku, his career at West Ham is in the fritz and will end if he cannot get a chance somewhere else with more time doing it.

Ajeti is good on the ball and can take on players so him on his natural side but out wide would be a good move for Moyesey. The pressure is off and he can grow in that role since he has time and age.

Instead of selling Masuaku, Yarmolenko, and Ajeti, why not just move them? Yes, selling them would bring in good funding for West Ham but if the players are willing to change, why not keep them and push them for more… for the team, not themselves.