How Olli Harder has transformed West Ham from relegation survivors to mid-table fighters – tactical analysis

Last season, West Ham United Women were involved in a four-way survival battle at the foot of the WSL, ending up just three points ahead of demoted Bristol City Women when the season reached its conclusion. However, this season, they are sitting sixth after their first five games, having recorded just one defeat. This has largely been down to the tactics introduced by New Zealander head coach Olli Harder, who, since his arrival in December, has paid close attention to the detail of each aspect of West Ham’s style of play. He has tried to implement a free-flowing style of football that encourages his players to use any spaces available to them, whilst being strong at the back, and this tactical analysis will examine their attacking and defensive play in closer detail, as well as identifying how some of their new signings have made an impact on their play.

Attack

West Ham United Women have shown an increased level of attacking creativity this season, which has helped them to fashion more opportunities in the final third.

Under previous head coach Matt Beard, now back at Championship side Liverpool Women, West Ham tended to operate with one or sometimes two strikers at the top of the pitch, meaning they were often isolated and closed down by defenders too easily. However, Olli Harder’s increase in attacking numbers has prevented this happening as much, as well as giving the players more opportunities to link up in the final third.

Looking specifically at this image, former Glasgow City defender Zaneta Wyne has the ball on the edge of the box, with Czech Republic midfielder Katerina Svitkova, Canada forward Adriana Leon and former London Bees player Melisa Filis all making runs into the box. As a result, it is easier for them to get a shot away, as Birmingham are unable to mark all three attackers, and this is one way that West Ham have changed their attack for the better.