West Ham: Obiang and Oxford needed in new-look midfield

By foxsports
Published

West Ham are in the midst of the club’s worst ever start in the Premier League. The defense in particular has been atrocious and Slaven Bilic needs to change his lineup to give the back line more protection.

West Ham United have started their season with one win and five defeats, and currently sit in the Premier League relegation zone. It’s the club’s worst ever start in the Premier League era. Slaven Bilic is coming under pressure, with the club next facing Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Another loss in that game is unfathomable. Bilic has to do something. The defense is the area that needs the most help. West Ham have conceded 16 goals in just six games. Continuing at that rate, they’re on course to concede 101 goals come the end of the season.

The all-time record goals conceded in a single Premier League season is 89 by Derby County back in the 2007-08 campaign. That Rams team is also considered one of the worst teams in Premier League history. That is the rate West Ham are conceding at right now.

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The team are conceding goals in multiples every week. It’s just a question of how many. The defence needs help and a change in formation could be the answer. The West Ham midfield of Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate does not offer the defense much protection.

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    Kouyate is fond of vacating midfield to help the attack, whilst Noble is not a good defender and lacks the pace and mobility to defend counter attacks. Neither are ideal for playing in a two-man midfield, and certainly not while the defense’s confidence is through the floor.

    Bilic needs to bolster the midfield numbers and add some defense to the center of the park. A 4-3-3 would offer more stability than the 4-2-3-1 he is currently employing. Pedro Obiang should come into the midfield to add some work rate and athleticism.

    Whilst Reece Oxford can be a more effective defensive midfielder than Noble would be. Kouyate would then complete the midfield three and be allowed to burst forward as he does regardless anyway.

    Manel Lanzini is the unfortunate one who should be dropped. Dimitri Payet remains the team’s best player, whilst Michail Antonio has scored five goals in six games. Somebody has to go, and Lanzini is really the only option at this moment in time.

    Once the team starts to rebuild confidence and momentum, maybe Bilic can return to his 4-2-3-1 but with different personnel in midfield. For now though, the defense is far too fragile to play this way. They need help. Help from their manager.

    Help he can give them with a midfield containing both Obiang and Oxford.

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