As attention shifts away from West Ham’s 5-2 loss to Arsenal and towards tomorrow’s crucial Premier League clash against Leicester City, one glaring issue has become increasingly clear: the Hammers are hugely deficient in one crucial area—pace in midfield.
The lack of an athletic presence in central areas has been a recurring theme for some time, largely masked by Declan Rice’s all-round brilliance and exceptional reading of the game.
However, the Premier League increasingly features teams with powerhouse midfielders who are both physical and fast, capable of covering ground at pace.
Whilst I’d continue with the Lucas Paquetá and Carlos Soler partnership in midfield due to the absence of other technical options, the team desperately needs an injection of athleticism.
Not long ago, West Ham’s only quick players were Ryan Fredericks and Michail Antonio. While there’s been slight improvement with faster players in wider areas, Julen Lopetegui’s side remains painfully slow through the middle. As seen against Arsenal, this lack of pace hindered the team’s ability to threaten on the counter-attack.
Although there’s no doubt that signing a striker is a January transfer priority, midfield issues also demand urgent attention. Unfortunately, the signing of Guido Rodríguez suggests that someone at the club doesn’t prioritise midfield dynamism. Until this glaring problem is addressed, West Ham will continue to struggle against faster teams
