{"id":1102568,"date":"2019-08-22T16:54:43","date_gmt":"2019-08-22T15:54:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1102568"},"modified":"2019-08-22T16:54:43","modified_gmt":"2019-08-22T15:54:43","slug":"west-ham-2019-20-new-look-team-transfer-manuel-pellegrini","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/west-ham-2019-20-new-look-team-transfer-manuel-pellegrini\/","title":{"rendered":"New-look West Ham’s potential is epic, but were they naive in the summer transfer market?"},"content":{"rendered":"

After another summer of heavy spending West Ham appear to be assembling a squad capable of causing significant noise under\u00a0Manuel Pellegrini.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Chilean broke the club’s transfer record twice last year and once again smashed that spending statistic this time around with the \u00a345m acquisition of\u00a0Sebastien Haller.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/audioboom.com\/posts\/7343141-chelsea-can-get-excited-about-n-golo-kante-s-messi-impression<\/p>\n

Along with\u00a0Pablo Fornals,\u00a0Albian Ajeti and the return to full fitness of a number of key players, including\u00a0Manuel Lanzini,\u00a0Jack Wilshere and\u00a0Andriy Yarmolenko, aspirations of a positive season were high ahead of 2019\/20.<\/p>\n

However, a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of reigning Premier League champions Man City on matchweek one and an uninspiring 1-1 draw with Brighton at the weekend – with both Haller and\u00a0Felipe Anderson injured for that contest – have somewhat dampened the initial optimism in east London.<\/p>\n

That said, there have been a number of notable changes to\u00a0Pellegrini’s West Ham team this term – some good, some bad – and we’ve had a look at them.<\/p>\n

1. Reluctance to sign a central midfielder was naive<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For years the chat on the London Stadium terraces has been about West Ham finally bringing in a central midfielder capable of running the show and dictating play; Mark Noble,\u00a0Declan Rice and\u00a0Jack Wilshere all have their individual qualities but none possess that all-round ability to dominate the middle of the park.<\/p>\n

Of course, Wilshere has the capacity to be that<\/em> player, but injuries have plagued his career and he doesn’t quite look like the tenacious teenager who once bossed the Arsenal midfield against Barcelona in 2011.<\/p>\n

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Add in the fact that the Hammers sold\u00a0Edmilson Fernandes and\u00a0Pedro Obiang this summer, while Noble is currently out injured, and West Ham once again look exceptionally lightweight in arguably the most important position on the pitch.<\/p>\n

Against City,\u00a0Pellegrini’s preferred central midfield partnership – Wilshere and Rice – was run ragged while against Brighton it was a similar story, with\u00a0Graham Potter’s side dominating the ball and Wilshere ultimately coming off at half-time after struggling to keep pace – registering just 15 touches.<\/p>\n

2. Fornals, Lanzini & Anderson may prove too lightweight together<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It could be argued that West Ham’s only positive half of football so far this season was the opening 45 minutes against City, despite entering the interval a goal down.<\/p>\n

The attacking trident of Anderson, Lanzini and\u00a0Michail Antonio against City looked worthy of matching the league champions toe-for-toe, with the composition offering a versatile blend of creativity, muscle and flair.<\/p>\n

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However,\u00a0Pellegrini\u00a0opted to tinker at the break, taking\u00a0Antonio off for Fornals and it was curtains from there; in trying to match Pep Guardiola’s juggernaut for creativity, he took away the one element that was working in West Ham’s favour: aggression.<\/p>\n

And it was a similar story against Brighton, with the trio this time consisting of Lanzini, Fornals and\u00a0Robert Snodgrass; three creative players who struggled to form any sort of attacking cohesion. The game was ultimately turned on its head when Antonio was introduced at half time and West Ham subsequently went on to take the lead.<\/p>\n

A more pragmatic approach may be required by\u00a0Pellegrini, with\u00a0Antonio looking like the key player capable of\u00a0complementing the more creative duo of\u00a0Lanzini and Fornals.<\/p>\n