Dual Marquee Matchup In West Ham vs. Fulham
By Adam Smith
Fresh off of a win fuelled by their midfield duo, Fulham will need to overwhelm West Ham’s elite double-pivot in marquee matchup at London Stadium.
West Ham hosts Fulham in the first ‘exhale’ match for the Hammers since the start of the season. And while David Moyes’ well-structured team shouldn’t overlook their opposition, the level of skill compared to recent opponents is markedly different. That being said, a crucial double battle in the midfield will dictate the pace and outcome of this match.
There is no doubt this game will be competitive. Fulham are coming off of their first win of the season and former Hammer Scotty Parker would undoubtedly want to make a mark in his return to his former club as the Cottagers’ manager.
To thank for their win, outside of a wonder-striker from fullback Ola Aina, was the powerful performance from captain Tom Cairney and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa. Mario Lemina also played in holding midfield, but his impact paled in comparison to the aforementioned duo who pressured the attack forward and pummeled back to disjoint the West Brom attack.
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Cairney, who formerly was being courted by David Moyes at West Ham, is a danger to score from range as he proved against Crystal Palace earlier this season. So far this season, Cairney can boast a 7.06 WhoScored rating with his performance against West Brom returning a 7.6 rating alone.
Anguissa, who technically plays in a holding position, mimics West Ham’s Soucek in his marauding nature. He can get forward with ease, reliant on his pace and power, and has a season-long WhoScored rating of 7.1 with a 7.6 rating in his last game.
For West Ham, the focus falls on Tomas Soucek and captain Declan Rice. Both players bring something different to the midfield, with Rice providing stout defending and pace whereas Soucek plays box-to-box and is dominant in the air. Both players will be called on to unsettle the Cottagers duo.
For Soucek, there has been some disappointment in his goals return so far this season after starting so brightly in January of last year. For reference, his 2019/20 season saw him score three goals in 13 matches while he remains goalless in 7 matches this season. Still, he’s been very dominant this year and has put up a WhoScored rating of 7.03 with no goal contributions.
The crown jewel to this West Ham team and midfield is Declan Rice. The heir to Mark Noble’s Hammers’ captaincy is a mainstay in the team and is yet again garnering interest from top-6 teams in the Premier League. For good reason, too as his WhoScored rating is just 6.42 but the site recognizes that the player has “no significant weaknesses.”
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The goals will likely be coming from elsewhere in this match, but possession and the key battles to spur the offence forward will be fought and won in the midfield. The chess match between Parker and Moyes will feature their engine midfielders with the triumphant duo dictating the match.