Ian Wright had a good point on Match of the Day when he said that West Ham knew it was going to be a physical game at Cardiff so he couldn't understand why Pellegrini didn't start with muscular players like Arnautovic and Antonio. Playing with both Lanzini and Anderson against a fired-up team of triers was certainly a risk as they're not going to fancy a tackling contest. While Hernandez is always going to look lightweight as a solo striker against bruising former Championship defenders.
The defence is also worrying as our full backs tend to get exposed very easily away from home. Could there be a case for starting with five at the back in some away games? Now The General is fit Pellegrini could play Diop, Balbuena and Ogbonna or Cresswell together, with Fredericks and Masuaku as wing backs offering a threat on the break. Or if he sticks with a back four there could also be a case for starting Obiang alongside Rice and Noble in some games to prevent the side leaking early goals.
Though whatever tweaks Manuel makes to the formation, the primary problem is psychological. The players can't relax because they feel safe — there's no excuse not to keep fighting for a potential seventh place.
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