West Ham 541 Defending

West Ham under David Moyes have certainly been conceding a lot less goals than previous managers. Moyes has set up his team in a 343 attacking shape that becomes 541 in defensive posture. By employing this strategy against Manchester City they have added protection in half space areas thus covering and blocking the runs of De Bruyne and Silva who like to make runs into half space pockets. These runs lead to a lot of goals from cut backs, across the box crosses or shots themselves.

Here you will see Moyes set up to frustrate Man City, force back, force sideways, shoot from distance

Key features

• Communication and organization

• Pushing opposition back and sideways

• Very little space between lines

• Protection in half space areas (through DMs and extra CB in back line

• Comfortable defending crosses

West ham lost this game 2-1 having taken a 1st half lead through a set piece. Vulnerabilities were

• Exposed in corner box areas, sides of midfield 4

• Defended for large periods of the game which led to fatigue

• Found it hard to keep possession especially later in the game