West Ham United are currently struggling to adapt to a new style of play, with David Moyes leaving the club in the summer, and Julen Lopetegui coming through the door, implementing a more possession-based approach.
Their midfield has struggled to find balance, leading to poor passing and control metrics, such as 45.4% possession (sixth worst in the division), and 83.0% passing accuracy (tenth worst in the division).
The Hammers find themselves 12th in the Premier League after seven games, winning two, drawing two, and losing three, leaving them on eight points. They have conceded 11 and only scored ten, which will need to see improvement on both sides of the ball in order to enter the top half of the table.
West Ham’s midfield options
The current midfield options at West Ham consist of Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, Carlos Soler, Tomas Soucek, and Lucas Paqueta. A good group of individual players, but Lopetegui is struggling to find the correct blend in that midfield to get the best out of everyone.
Alvarez and Rodriguez are better suited to playing as a defensive midfielder (number six) with a more mobile presence beside them. Soucek is more of a box to box option, who can crash the penalty area and score goals, but he also isn’t the most mobile, whilst Soler is a technically gifted player, similar to Paqueta, who is better on the ball, and especially in Paqueta’s case, higher up the pitch.
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Alvarez vs Rodriguez vs Soucek vs Soler vs Paqueta comparison |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90 mins) |
Alvarez |
Rodriguez |
Soucek |
Soler |
Paqueta |
|
Goals |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.34 |
0.00 |
0.31 |
|
Assists |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
xG |
0.00 |
0.02 |
0.39 |
0.14 |
0.34 |
|
xAG |
0.04 |
0.00 |
0.08 |
0.00 |
0.10 |
|
Progressive Passes |
4.44 |
2.54 |
3.53 |
5.71 |
6.72 |
|
Progressive Carries |
0.37 |
0.17 |
0.39 |
0.71 |
1.03 |
|
Tackles |
3.70 |
2.71 |
1.96 |
1.43 |
1.72 |
|
Interceptions |
1.43 |
1.29 |
0.92 |
0.91 |
0.62 |
|
Aerials Won |
1.11 |
1.19 |
3.92 |
0.00 |
1.03 |
|
Stats taken from FBref |
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The Hammers have tried multiple combinations, but their most successful has to be the recent midfield trio against Ipswich, containing Rodriguez, Soucek and Paqueta. This leaves Alvarez in a tricky situation, as he was originally signed to be the replacement for Declan Rice.
It’s not the first time that a midfielder hasn’t lived up to the billing for the east London side…
West Ham’s own Patrick Vieira
When Cheikhou Kouyate first signed for West Ham, back in 2014, Sam Allardyce explained why there had been comparisons to Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, stating “just look at his size and the way he moves”.
Vieira – who is part of the Premier League’s Hall of Fame – remains a legendary figure due to his stunning stint with the Gunners, having memorably been the captain of Arsene Wenger’s glorious ‘Invincibles’ in 2003/04.
Much like Vieira – who stands at 6 foot 4 – Kouyate is also a towering presence at 6 foot 2, albeit with that perhaps where the similarity ended, as the Senegalese destroyer didn’t quite live up to those lofty standards.
First Impressions
What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.
He would go on to make 141 appearances for the Eagles, scoring three goals, and providing four assists in 10,471 minutes, prior to then joining fellow Premier League side, Nottingham Forest, on a free transfer.
Now it looks like the 34-year-old – whose two-year contract with Forest ended over the summer – could be on his way to Leeds, albeit in the meantime, he remains a free agent.
In truth, Kouyate didn’t quite turn out to be the ‘next Patrick Vieira’, and while he has certainly had a serviceable Premier League career, he was perhaps set up for failure from the get-go by such an eye-catching comparison.
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