West Ham United Women have gone under the radar this season, quietly getting on with business and trying to finish as high up the table as possible. At the time of writing, they sit seventh in the league, having won six, drawn six and lost seven. Whilst consistency has been lacking, they have managed to avoid a second successive relegation battle, which is a big improvement in itself. They have also scored 21 goals, the same number as they managed in the entirety of last season, and currently hold the title of top scorers outside of the top four. With three games left in the season, there is a strong possibility that they will beat last seasons total.
One who has contributed a lot to their development is Czech Republic international Kateřina Svitková. Capable of operating as a winger, attacking midfielder or a wing-back, she initially struggled after joining the club in 2020 but has looked much happier this season, and this tactical analysis will look at her individual game to see why this is. The analysis will focus specifically on her positioning, passing and different roles within the team, finding the reasons for her becoming an essential part of West Ham’s tactics.
Positioning
The first aspect of Kateřina Svitková’s play that this scout report will deal with is her positioning around the field, looking at how this has helped her team to be more expressive with the ball.
What we have seen a lot of this season is Svitková making overlapping runs when her team is in possession, using her natural pace to ensure that there is always a forward passing option available when required. With West Ham United Women generally opting for wing-backs this season under Olli Harder, this is one way in which her individual qualities have helped her to fit into his tactics.
However, what is key here is how her qualities have allowed other West Ham players to flourish, with one of those who has really benefitted being on-loan Arsenal Women winger Lisa Evans. At her parent club, the Scotland international was generally used on the wing or at right-back, with freedom to come inside but more often than not staying close to the wings.
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