First of all, apologies to the great Bard for taking liberties with the well known speech from Hamlet! The ‘three’ referred to, of course, relates to the suggestion, advocated in some Hammers social media outlets, that Pellegrini should go with three at the back, and two wing backs, against Arsenal. This is most likely a knee jerk reaction to last season, when the only truly solid defensive formation that we seemed capable of fielding involved deploying three central defenders. In fact, under David Moyes, we got quite accomplished playing that way, by the season’s conclusion, and, one surmises, if he had been appointed in the summer he would have continued with that type of tactical formation.
It is a reassuring way to play, a sort of defensive/tactical ‘comfort blanket’ if you like. And I can fully understand the attraction of setting up that way when playing at a daunting venue like the Emirates, where we have had precious little success in recent years (apart from that stand out Bilic victory in 2015). However, it ignores the fact that Pellegrini has a master plan to get the Hammers playing in a different and more open system and that involves them deploying four at the back. Pellegrini has recruited well and he is trying to establish his own system of play, so it makes sense that (at this early stage of the season) he will persevere playing with a flat back four. To do otherwise would be a clear sign of panic by the Chilean coach and he is undoubtedly made of sterner stuff than that.
So, I expect Pellegrini to continue trying to embed his chosen style of play and not play with three at the back. However, there is an alternative and that involves utilising a player like Declan Rice to move between defence and midfield, turning a 3-1-5-1 (in possession) in to a 4-2-3-1 (out of possession). It was deployed by Terry Venables, when he was England coach, and involved utilising a certain Gareth Southgate in this key role. Basically, it would mean playing with two defensive midfielders and one (ideally Declan Rice) moving back to form a back three in possession. This would, in turn, give the full-backs/wing-backs the freedom to push forward down the flanks (to provide width) and the wide forwards (i.e. Anderson and Yarmolenko) to cut inside to reinforce midfield and support Arnautovic at the apex of our attacking play. Such a system would give us the defensive assurance of three at the back, put an extra man in midfield (out of possession); while allowing the full-backs to get forward, the wide men to cut inside (as Anderson and Yarmolenko are very well equipped to do) and give Arnautovic the support he needs in his lone striker role.
In short, we could potentially have the best of both worlds tactically, if we adopted it, combining three at the back with Pellegrini’s preferred more open system of play. The down side is that it is a more complex tactical formation and it is probably reliant upon a youngster like Declan Rice operating in this key, inter-changeable, back three-defensive midfield role. It would probably also involve Sanchez or Obiang partnering with Rice as the defensive midfield two, Diop partnering Ogbonna (as a standing central defensive partnership), with Rice moving back to create a three and Sanchez or Obiang covering. Then either Noble or Wilshere would pull the strings in central midfield and the Anderson-Yarmolenko combination on the flanks would cut inside to reinforce midfield and/or support the lone striker (preferably Arnautovic).
I have written this blog to promote discussion on this type of system, which has really fascinated me ever since Venables deployed it with England in the 1990s. Could it be the answer to our defensive problems and allow, at the same time, Pellegrini to develop the offensive system to which he aspires?
My preferred XI in this formation would be:
Fabianski, Fredericks, Cresswell, Sanchez, Rice, Diop, Ogbonna, Wilshere, Anderson, Arnautovic & Yarmolenko
Subs: Adrian, Zabaletta, Noble, Snodgrass, Antonio, Perez and Hernandez
The true beauty (and litmus test) of this system is its adaptability and the option of taking off one of the two defensive midfielders (Sanchez or Rice) and putting on either Noble or Snodgrass to reinforce midfield or a second striker to combine with Arnautovic at the apex of the attack.
SJ. Chandos.