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With West Ham announcing the signing of Felipe Anderson from Lazio for a club-record transfer fee, becoming the seventh signing under Manuel Pellegrini, let's take a look at four ways West Ham can line-up in the new Premier League season under Manuel Pellegrini.
With a new manager in Manuel Pellegrini and a huge number of big signings along with the already existing star cast, West Ham has set itself high standards on the upcoming Premier League season.
Pellegrini is a well-known face for the lovers after he guided Manchester City to the 2013/14 Premier League title. The Chilean is known for his half South American, half European style of play with many intricate passing moves, crosses, solo-runs and set pieces.
Here is a look at four possible ways the Hammers might line up next season.
#1: 4-2-3-1
It is one of the most used formations by Manuel Pellegrini when he was the manager of Manchester City.
This system demands very much from the wing-backs with constant bombarding runs while attacking and almost regularly facing one-to-one situations while defending, therefore, the wing-backs have to be strong tacklers.
One of the double holding midfielders are given the job of nipping out any potential attacks while the second holding midfielder is given the deep-lying playmaker role or for supporting the No.10
The central attacking midfielder is the most creative player in this system as he can provide width or go for goal on his own. The right and left midfielders in this system must adept at attacking and defending.
Pellegrini is expected to start with Marko Arnautovic up top with either Jack Wilshere or Felipe Anderson as the centre attacking midfielder and versatile Brazilian or Saed Haksabanovic (depending on the position of Anderson) on the left, as Lanzini is out for quite a few months, with Andriy Yarmolenko on the right.
Wilshere is more likely to be kept in his usual deep-lying playmaker role with Cheikhou Kouyate as the defensive midfielder.
The defensive line could be made up of the young French defender Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna in the centre, Ryan Fredericks and Arthur Masuaku or Aaron Cresswell (in his preferred position) in the full-back roles and Lukasz Fabianski in the goal.
Wilshere might be prompted to play in the attacking midfielder role instead of his usual deep-lying playmaker if Manuel Lanzini is not completely fit with the central midfield roles given to captain Mark Noble or Pedro Obiang and Cheikhou Kouyate in this formation.
The Chilean is sure to start Lanzini in the No.10 role when he returns back from injury with Wilshere slotted back to the centre of midfield or Felipe Anderson moved to the left flank.
#2: 4-2-2-2 or the "Magic Rectangle"
The most commonly used formation by Chilean. It is often misunderstood with the 4-4-2 formation and is more similar to 4-2-4 than the latter mentioned.
Pellegrini plays with a very free flowing attacking system based on width. Full-backs in the Pellegrini 4-2-2-2 are normally situated very high up the pitch, bombarding forward at any given chance whereas the wingers are made to cut inside, paving way for the full-backs.
The two defensive midfielders in this system are made to do the role of covering the full backs when they are on the attacking front. While the forwards are made to drift to the wings making way for the wingers to cut inside.
A completely fit Lanzini might sit out of this formation with Kouyate and Noble instead of Wilshere filling the centre defensive midfielder role to as they provide more defensive cover to the full-backs.
Yarmolenko and Anderson are likely to play the winger roles while Arnautovic might play up front with Chicharito as supporting striker or Lanzini as the second striker.
The defensive line could be made up of the young French defender Diop and Ogbonna in the centre, Fredericks and Masuaku or Cresswell (in his preferred position) in the full-back roles and Fabianski in the goal.
#3: 4-4-1-1
The 4-4-1-1 formation is very similar to the 4-4-2, instead of the two out and out strikers in the 4-4-2 a creative player is deployed behind the out and out striker in 4-4-1-1.
The system is equally adept at attack as well as defence and tend to make players cover lesser ground compared to the other formations.
The system allows a creative player to thrive as they are given a bit more freedom to operate. The right and left midfielders can use the space on the wings during attacks an effectively make three upfront assault on the opposition defence. He has more options, to pass short or long, dribble, cut wide or bear down on goal.
While the defensive rigidity is provided by the full-backs as they are not allowed to go out on all attack instead made to play in their zones.
Pellegrini used this formation effectively in the Premier League occasionally with Sergio Aguero thriving as the sole striker and David Silva playing with his atmost brilliance.
It is toss up between Wilshere and new recruit Anderson to play the behind striker role with Arnautovic up front. Kouyate, Yarmolenko, Noble and either of Anderson or Wilshere is expected to make up the midfield four, while Young French defender Diop and Ogbonna are expected in the centre with Fredericks and Masuaku or Cresswell (in his preferred position) in the full-back roles and Lukasz Fabianski in the goal.
Lanzini, when fit, is sure to force his way into the Chileans plans. He will most likely play behind the striker while Wilshere will be slotted to centre midfield and if Anderson is the behind striker he will be slotted to left of the field to accommodate the Argentine.
While Pellegrini can opt to play the versatile Anderson just behind the striker with young Haksabanovic on the left.
#4: 4-5-1 or 4-1-4-1
4-1-4-1 or sometimes referred to as 4-5-1 was the most common tactic used by Pellegrini during his time at Hebei Fortune with Javier Mascherano playing just in front of the defensive line to provide backup.
This system allows the full-backs to venture forward as the midfield four are higher up the pitch leaving space for the full-backs to exploit.
On the defensive side, the full-backs are expected to be very good at one vs one and two vs one situations as the presence of only a single defensive midfielder can cause space on either of the side if the full-back does not return to his position.
When attacking the wingers can exploit the spaces up front effectively making a 4-3-3 while defensively the wingers must be good to exploit any kind of possible counter attacks.
Arnautovic is expected to start up front with club captain Noble and Wilshere in the central roles. Yarmolenko and Anderson are expected to provide the width in the side with Cheikhou Kouyate screening the back 4. Diop and Ogbonna are expected to be the centre-back pairing with Fredericks and Masuaku or Cresswell in either side and Fabianski in goal.
A fit Lanzini will be preferred over Noble.
