West Ham operate within the mid-block but are aggressive where possible when they match up successfully before ultimately pressing high.
This will see them press high against United when the left-side #8 drops to form a 2-2 or a 3-2 build-up.
An analytical pre-match thread.
This will see them press high against United when the left-side #8 drops to form a 2-2 or a 3-2 build-up.
An analytical pre-match thread.
However, due to the fact that West Ham are naturally passive in nature as opposed to aggressive, they're often concerned with what's behind them as opposed to in front of them, so it would make a lot of sense for United's #8's to stay high and between the lines.
United's build-up is fluid and it can range from a lot of shapes to a 3-1, 2-1. 2-2, or 3-2, but what's most important is that the #8's are aggressive positionally because that will keep Rice and Soucek pinned back and United will have a 3v2 in the build-up so can progress play.
Rice and Soucek won't press regularly high on Casemiro if Bruno Fernandes and Eriksen are high and between the lines because it will leave the United men isolated & unmarked. However, due to the way Eriksen drops into the build-up to get touches, they will press high on occasion.
It's in these moments where United have to be technically secure to play around West Ham's press to find the spare man in midfield. That spare man may be Casemiro if the pivot partner is passive and sticks with Bruno, or it could be Bruno himself if West Ham are aggressive.
Either way, United have to be technically secure in these situations to exploit West Ham before directly punishing their block in transition or through pinning them back and creating via their positional play & subsequent combinations in the last line of attack.
However, Moyes adapts well when West Ham defend deep as he tasks Fornals with dropping back all the way into the last line of defence to prevent West Ham from being too narrow and exploited via the switches of play against teams like Manchester United who hold the width well.
In possession, West Ham are quite old school in the sense that they largely go long from goal kicks in an effort to gain settled possession or transitional opportunities off the back of duels wins.
Here they excel with guys like Rice, Soucek, Scammaca, & Antonio being monsters.
Here they excel with guys like Rice, Soucek, Scammaca, & Antonio being monsters.
Although they're not strictly a long ball team. West Ham certainly have some excellent technicians and will 'play football' where possible, even under a high press. Their biggest issue is that they are massively reliant on Declan Rice centrally due to Soucek's technical issues.
That's why they primarily play direct - to play to the strength of their individuals as opposed to putting guys like Soucek in uncomfortable situations. And, on top of that physicality, as previously touched on, they have the technical and penetrative profiles to complement it.
Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma, Fornals, and Cornet amongst others are all fine technicians who can combine effectively along with creating for others and making runs in behind United's last line themselves.
West Ham are a tough game for anyone despite their old-school style.
West Ham are a tough game for anyone despite their old-school style.
They will make the game as transition-based and as messy as it has to be to take technical control away from United and make it a game consisting of as many duels as possible whilst also trying to get their foot on the ball and exploit United in transition.
This is all a design to take control away from ten Hag's technical team. But, as suggested, United have the potential to exploit them should they utilise their 3v2 in midfield correctly in build-up situations before exploiting their disjointed 4-4-2. But it ain't that simple.
Guys like Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, and whoever else plays in central defensive areas for United must be as aggressive and as physical as possible to combat West Ham's duel-based nature in an effort to ensure they don't get bullied and West Ham get the chaotic game they want.
The conditions for United to succeed are present but they'll need to be on their A game to truly trouble West Ham, and that includes on AND off ball aspects of play - technical security to use the 3v2 in midfield along with aggression in duels is *everything* for ten Hag's men.
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