West Ham United need to change things in midfield to start climbing up the table.
West Ham United are enduring a terrible start to life at their new stadium, with Slaven Bilic’s side picking up just three points from their first six Premier League matches; form that sees them in the relegation zone alongside Stoke City and Sunderland.
There is still a lot of football to be played, but Bilic needs to turn things round sooner rather than later and one way to do that is to reassess his midfield options.
Time and again Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate have started in the centre of the field and time and again they have failed to come anywhere near their form from last season.
There is no doubting the duo’s ability, but what West Ham need right now is more from the heart of their team; bringing in a holding midfielder who can protect an alarmingly brittle back-line.
Some West Ham fans judged summer signing Havard Nordtveit early and perhaps unfairly, because there is no doubt the 26-year-old could make an impact if moved further forward.
At right-back the recent addition looks out of place and out of luck, as he proved against Southampton. However the finger should be pointed not at Nordtveit but at Bilic for opting to play someone out of position rather than picking Sam Byram.
Even if Pedro Obiang was given a prolonged run in the team he is likely to offer more protection than Noble and Kouyate at the current time.
That said it is Nordtveit who has the skill-set to become a key player for this West Ham side if allowed to build up his form and confidence in his natural position.
Some West Ham fans will no doubt disagree but the Norwegian needs to be playing in a central midfield three; only then – after a consistent run of games – should he be judged.
Whether his manager will make that change before it is too late remains to be seen.
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