West Ham United have endured a torrid start to the season and Slaven Bilic has to change something to turn their fortunes around.
The Hammers sit bottom of the Premier League after defeat in each of their opening three games with a minus eight goal difference to boot.
Bilic is under severe pressure and speculation is rife he could be replaced by Rafa Benitez or Roberto Mancini in the West Ham hot seat.
Supporters are not happy and some point the finger of blame at Bilic’s tactics after a 4-0 defeat to Manchester United was followed up by 3-2 reverse at Southampton and 3-0 drubbing at Newcastle.
For West Ham fans, it is simply a continuation of what they witnessed last term, one of the worst defenses in the top flight leaking goals.
In West Ham’s last 51 league games under Bilic they have shipped an astonishing 95 goals.
Thirteen of those have been penalties but the key statistic which makes damning reading for the former Croatia boss is his failure to switch formation to make the team more solid.
Setting up with a back four from last season through to now the Hammers have played 25 games in that formation winning just five, drawing five and losing 13 with a total of 20 points.
But in just 16 matches with the side adopting a back three the Hammers won nearly half with seven victories, four draws and just five defeats – a total of 25 points, five more than with a back four and from eight less games.
So the message is clear for all to see the Hammers must revert to a 3-5-2 formation, be harder to beat and play to the team’s strengths to turn their season around.
But to do that the under pressure boss may have to make an unpopular decision to push star midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate into his back three as he has so often in the past.
And he could risk upsetting the Senegal ace who has made it clear in the past he is willing to help the team but wants to play in his preferred central midfield position.
The truth is West Ham don’t have the legs in defence with injury prone Winston Reid in and out of the side and looking a shadow of the player he was a couple of seasons ago.
James Collins and Jose Fonte both turn 34 this season while Pablo Zabaleta turns 33 and all of them have already been badly exposed in the Premier League this season.
In that sweeper role Kouyate offers pace, aerial strength and composure with the ability to carry the ball out of the back and launch attacks.
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