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QPR vs West Ham: Tactical Analysis

Second Half

Even though they trailed 2-0, QPR began the second half on the back foot with West Ham again, setting the agenda.

QPR had moved to a 4-5-1 with Park now in an advanced central position and Cisse occupying the left-wing position. West Ham were still dominant though forcing Hughes into two changes which temporarily altered the dynamic of the game.

The ineffective Park and Wright-Phillips were replaced by Diakite and Taarabt with an instant impact.  Diakite went central with Taarabt on the left and Granero on the right as QPR switched back to a rough 4-4-2, Taarabt and Cisse working the left. The Moroccan picked the ball up on the left-wing and cut inside. If you were being highly critical, you could argue he was afforded slightly too much space by Demel but even allowing for that his 25 yard shot which looped up and then dipped into the top of the net was a sublime finish.

The goal lifted the crowd and QPR produced a higher tempo of football with a more direct feel to their play, rather than the ponderous approach in the first half which allowed West Ham to shut them down quickly.

The changing emphasis on the game was apparent on the influence of Kevin Nolan. From being a driving force in an attacking sense in the first half, he was now supporting his midfield colleagues as they worked hard to maintain their lead.

Any hope of QPR completing their comeback more or less evaporated with the dismissal of Diakite for two quick yellow cards ending his game after just 18 second half minutes.

QPR tried to force their way back into the game and reverted to hitting long balls as the game wore on but Jaaskelainen’s most testing moments came from a couple of long-range efforts which were hit through a ruck of players as West Ham dropped to the edge of their penalty area.

The Midfield Battle

It’s worth examining a few statistics to see clearly how effective the midfield trio for West Ham actually are.

The trio is well-balanced with Diame as the defensive force, Noble shuttling between defence and attack linking play whilst Nolan seeks to break forward and support the lone striker.

These roles are shown in the stats. Diame completing more tackles and competing in more ground duels than anyone else but keeping his passing relatively simple with a high degree of accuracy. Noble attempts and completes more passes for the Hammers whilst Nolan offers more of an attacking presence.

Whilst Faurlin was able to compete on a physical level with West Ham, this is not the type of game that Granero enjoys and he was easily bullied by his opponents, losing all but one of his ground duels and only making one tackle throughout.

The problem was evident but it took 45 minutes to realise it.

Conclusion

Six games into the season and already West Ham look assured of remaining in the division. The style of football under Allardyce may attract critics who complain about the lack of style or finesse. Allardyce will simply point to his record which shows teams competing season after season in the Premiership with a heavily systemised brand of football based around percentages.

It’s not pure luck that Jarvis and then Vaz Te appeared at the back post. Or that West Ham often collect possession of the ball outside of the penalty area following clearances. It’s the culmination of years of studying statistics by Allardyce and his coaching staff as he seeks to extract the maximum available from the resources at his disposal.

For QPR, owner Tony Fernandes confirms there is no panic and everyone should “keep calm” and Mark Hughes stresses that they have had a “difficult run” and played some  “quality sides”. This is partly true. For whilst QPR have faced Spurs, Chelsea and Man City, they have also played Swansea, Norwich and now West Ham securing just 1 point in the process. Privately, the targeted points total from these three games would have been much higher.

Whilst bedding new players into the side takes time, should the poor run of form continue, QPR could find themselves embroiled in another relegation struggle similar to last season.

chalkontheboots
chalkonthebootshttp://www.chalkontheboots.wordpress.com
No stereotypes. No cliches. No fuss. Just analysis with a Spanish flavour.
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