Three in central midfield?

[Mala591]

IMO we are still getting 'overrun' in central midfield and we need to solve this problem asap.

We could move away from our rather predictable 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2 by trying a more narrow 4-3-2-1 lineup e.g.

Westwood - Defour - Cork (McNeil)
- - - -JBG - - - - - - Brady
- - - - - Centre forward

Vydra and Lennon could compete for their place to play behind the centre forward.

This would obviously reduce the 'width' of our attacking threat but that isn't really working at the moment anyway.

[SGr]

4-2-3-1

———Cork — Defour ———

JBG ———Vydra———Brady

——————Wood———————

The system that both Wood and Vydra achieved championship top scorer in, and that Brady and Cork both played in at Norwich and Swansea respectively, which lead to us signing them.

[Ric_C]

SGr has it spot on. But for the loss of form of Wood and the lack of match time for Vydra, that this the mid to front 6 to allow us to play the best football. I think against the so called lesser teams this is the way to go. We have a chronic lack of players making forward runs at the moment

[BurnleyPaul]

Why not look at 3-5-2?

Gudmundsson and Brady playing as wingbacks and Cork / Hendrick / Defour in central midfield with Defour given license to get forward and provide chances for Wood and Vydra.

We have to do something different and that could well be an option for us.

[FactualFrank]

4-4-1-1.

Hart / Heaton
Lowton Tarks Gibson Taylor
JBG Cork Defour Brady
Vydra
Wood

Ball played on the ground.

[Vino blanco]

Couldn't agree more Frank. Get our best footballers on the pitch.

[Vegas Claret]

I think we should try
Heaton Pope Hart
Lowton Bardsley Mee Long Gibson Tarks Ward Taylor
JBG Hendrick Defour Cork Lennon McNeil Brady
Wood Vydra Vokes Barnes

As nobody is bothered about cheating we should just play everyone

[houseboy]

I think we should try
Heaton Pope Hart
Lowton Bardsley Mee Long Gibson Tarks Ward Taylor
JBG Hendrick Defour Cork Lennon McNeil Brady
Wood Vydra Vokes Barnes

As nobody is bothered about cheating we should just play everyone

That would work because if the ref can't count no-one else would notice because nobody talks about us on MOTD. The media ignore us so, yes, let's have all the squad on the pitch and maybe we'll sneak a draw at West 'Am.

[cricketfieldclarets]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7hEqCdAwjs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tall Paul]

I think we should try
Heaton Pope Hart
Lowton Bardsley Mee Long Gibson Tarks Ward Taylor
JBG Hendrick Defour Cork Lennon McNeil Brady
Wood Vydra Vokes Barnes

As nobody is bothered about cheating we should just play everyone

Don't be ridiculous.

Pope is nowhere near match fitness.

And you've picked Hendrick.

[Mala591]

4-2-3-1

———Cork — Defour ———

JBG ———Vydra———Brady

——————Wood———————

The system that both Wood and Vydra achieved championship top scorer in, and that Brady and Cork both played in at Norwich and Swansea respectively, which lead to us signing them.

I think Defour and Brady need a couple more 90 minute games before we try 4-2-3-1. Until then we need Westwood in the mix to strengthen central midfield (we achieved 7 points out of 9 with Westwood playing). He must be feeling a little bit 'frustrated' at being dropped and replaced by Hendrick.

[claretspice]

IMO we are still getting 'overrun' in central midfield and we need to solve this problem asap.

We could move away from our rather predictable 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2 by trying a more narrow 4-3-2-1 lineup e.g.

Westwood - Defour - Cork (McNeil)
- - - -JBG - - - - - - Brady
- - - - - Centre forward

Vydra and Lennon could compete for their place to play behind the centre forward.

This would obviously reduce the 'width' of our attacking threat but that isn't really working at the moment anyway.

We played three in midfield this past weekend, although it didn't work. Certainly Hendrick was the furthest forwards, but there was a definite rotation and Cork and Defour were regularly further advanced than Jeff. The issue (defensively) wasn't particularly the system - it was the fact that Cork struggled alarmingly, and Defour still isn't match sharp - Chelsea ran off the two of them far too easily far too often, and the gap between those two and our back four was too often too big so that there was space between the lines once those two had been taken out of play.

Going to something more like a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1 (difference is negligible) with Vydra in "the hole" is definitely an option against the lesser teams at home, but to play that way against the likes of Chelsea - at least without stiffening up the midfield by deploying someone like Hendrick (or in times past Arfield) on one flank - would leave us horribly exposed. Defour is a wonderful player, but there's a reason we built that 4-5-1/4-3-3 shape around him last season: his legs don't get him around the park enough to regularly play him in a midfield 4.

[Spijed]

We played three in midfield this past weekend, although it didn't work. Certainly Hendrick was the furthest forwards, but there was a definite rotation and Cork and Defour were regularly further advanced than Jeff. The issue (defensively) wasn't particularly the system - it was the fact that Cork struggled alarmingly, and Defour still isn't match sharp - Chelsea ran off the two of them far too easily far too often, and the gap between those two and our back four was too often too big so that there was space between the lines once those two had been taken out of play.

Going to something more like a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1 (difference is negligible) with Vydra in "the hole" is definitely an option against the lesser teams at home, but to play that way against the likes of Chelsea - at least without stiffening up the midfield by deploying someone like Hendrick (or in times past Arfield) on one flank - would leave us horribly exposed. Defour is a wonderful player, but there's a reason we built that 4-5-1/4-3-3 shape around him last season: his legs don't get him around the park enough to regularly play him in a midfield 4.

What system did West Ham adopt to counter Chelsea in their 0-0 draw?

[claretspice]

What system did West Ham adopt to counter Chelsea in their 0-0 draw?

4-1-4-1 I think, with Declan Rice in front of the back 4.