Premier League 2020/21: Southampton vs West Ham United – tactical analysis

Southampton and West Ham United are enjoying a great start to the Premier League in 2020/21. Both the teams were in the top half of the table, which many might have not predicted. Southampton have won hearts by playing an exhilarating brand of football whereas West Ham United continued their counter-attacking brand of football under David Moyes.

On Tuesday night, neither of the teams managed to break the deadlock with only 13 shots taken by both the teams combined. In this tactical analysis, we will analyse the tactics and intricacies of both the managers. This analysis will also focus on the missed opportunities for both the teams.

Line-ups

Ralph Hasenhüttl started with his tried and tested 4-4-2 with Danny Ings, the former Liverpool player, back into the starting line-up. The defence looked the same but the midfield and wing had one change each. Oriol Romeu and Moussa Djenepo were given the nod against West Ham United.

David Moyes has been shuffling between three-man backline and five-man backline throughout the season. Against Southampton, the Scotsman opted for a four-man backline as well as made a number of changes from his previous game against Brighton & Hove Albion. Pablo Fornals, Andriy Yarmolenko, Manuel Laznini, Ryan Fredericks, Craig Dawson were all given a start on Tuesday night.

West Hams press and Southamptons build-up

West Ham pressed in a 4-1-4-1 man-oriented zonal marking (midblock). Man-oriented zonal marking is a mix of man-marking and zonal marking. Here, a player has to cover his own space as well as mark the opposition in his space, therefore, in this pressing method, the opponent player and the space around him is primary. The striker, Sébastien Haller, pressed the ball-carrier centre-back keeping the other centre-back in his cover shadow. The second line of press maintained their position while keeping a close distance between the opposition in their vicinity. Manuel Lanzini, and Tomáš Souček marked James Ward Prowse (JWP) and Romeu whoever was in their vicinity. The wingers marked the opposition full-backs and Declan Rice shielded the defence positioning himself in between the midfield and defensive lines.