West Ham United tactics
Slaven Bilic retained most of the players who started in the 3-0 victory over Liverpool, which meant James Tomkins started at right-back again. The overall plan was to start on the front foot and attack in a 4-2-3-1 formation, before switching to a 4-4-2 defensive shape when out of possession.
Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate started as the central midfielders, sitting in front of defenders before picking moments to push forward from the base of midfield to support attacks. Dimitri Payet floated between the lines to create chances by releasing runners beyond him with cute through-balls.
Victor Moses kept the width as a left attacking midfielder, either getting on the end of balls played over the top or providing in-swinging crosses with his right foot. Manuel Lanzini worked from the right flank where he drifted inside to join Payet in roaming behind Newcastle’s holding midfielders.
Diafra Sakho spearheaded the attacks as a mobile centre forward occupying the two central defenders. His movement dragged Newcastle’s centre-halves out of position, which allowed the likes of Kouyate to make third-man midfield runs through the middle.
When out of possession, West Ham defended in a 4-4-2 formation with Payet and Sakho leading the pressing. The Hammers allowed Newcastle’s central defenders the space to have the ball while defending with a compact shape with two flat lines of four behind the strikers.
Newcastle United tactics
Steve McClaren set his side up to mix their attacks between quick offensive plays and more patient build-ups in a 4-1-4-1 formation. Defensively, the plan was to contain the hosts with a man-marking job in midfield.
That meant that when the Magpies were in possession, Papiss Cisse offered a target for long balls, with Moussa Sissoko and Florian Thauvin making runs in behind when they had to attack quickly.
When Newcastle had the space to safely play out from the back, Vurnon Anita dropped between splitting central defenders to initiate attacks. Full-backs Daryl Janmaat and Massadio Haidara picked up starting positions on the halfway line before pushing into the offensive half to add width.
Jack Colback and Georginio Wijnaldum hovered just outside the box, while the wide attacking midfielders – Sissoko and Thauvin – made diagonal runs inside to flank Cisse in the box.
Cisse led the defending when out of possession, with the midfielders man-marking the Hammers in front of the back-four.
Sissoko and Thauvin tracked back with West Ham’s full-backs, while Colback and Wijnaldum engaged Kouyate and Noble, respectively. Anita completed the man-marking system by shadowing Payet, looking to contain the Hammers’ playmaker.
Key tactical changes
Newcastle lacked an offensive threat because they failed to penetrate during quick transitions and when they tried to work the ball through midfield, West Ham easily won back possession in good areas. The Hammers consequently took advantage by taking a 2-0 by the hour-mark, which forced the Magpies to make offensive changes.
Newcastle completed the game with both Colback and Sissoko supporting attacks through the middle as central midfielders, while Siem De Jong attempted to create chances by roaming behind West Ham’s midfielders. Ayoze Perez and Rolando Aarons worked as wide forwards, drifting in off the flanks to supplement Cisse.
West Ham had to protect their two-goal cushion, so they allowed Newcastle to have the ball while protecting their defensive half in a 4-5-1 formation.
Pedro Obiang came in to protect the central defenders at the base of midfield, while Noble and Kouyate completed the central midfield trio. Payet and Moses worked from wide midfield positions to form the five-man midfield that worked behind Sakho.
West Ham’s changes worked well as they limited Newcastle to very few chances, despite the hosts having far less possession in the last half-hour. Newcastle could not benefit from their offensive changes because they simply lacked the endeavour to get back into the game.
