West Ham must unleash the “best one-on-one defender in the world”

As West Ham gear up for the ‘El Sackico’ on Monday evening, Julen Lopetegui will probably be conjuring a plan to defeat Wolves and look to stay in a job. The Hammers sit 14th within the Premier League after 14 video games, while Wolves at present sit nineteenth, conceding 4 objectives in each of their final two video games.

Whichever aspect loses would doubtless see a change within the managerial scorching seat, as each coaches are underneath immense stress, making this an actual six-pointer.

Wolves have conceded probably the most objectives within the Premier League this season, already shipping 36 times in simply 14 video games. Nonetheless, they’ve nonetheless proven a capability to seek out the again of the web, scoring 22 goals, and one man particularly has been a key determine in that.

Matheus Cunha’s kind for Wolves

Matheus Cunha has made 15 appearances this season for Wolves, scoring seven objectives and offering three assists, totalling 1,177 minutes on the pitch to date.

The 25-year-old Brazilian is clearly the principle man for Gary O’Neil’s aspect, and by stopping him, you will have an excellent likelihood of halting any progress they attempt to make.

Fortunately for Lopetegui, he has the proper participant to deploy in opposition to Cunha, to be able to cease him from taking up the sport on that left flank.

That participant simply so occurs to be one who was as soon as described as “the best one-on-one defender in the world” by James Maddison.

Your modifications have been saved

Chalkboard

Soccer FanCast’s Chalkboard collection presents a tactical dialogue from across the world recreation.

How West Ham may cease Matheus Cunha

West Ham made the signing of Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Manchester United final summer time, becoming a member of the Hammers for a fee of around £15m. Since becoming a member of the membership, the defender has made 14 appearances, scoring two objectives and contributing to 4 clear sheets.

On Tuesday evening, Wan-Bissaka was moved over to left-back, permitting Vladimir Coufal to start out at right-back in opposition to Leicester Metropolis. Nonetheless, with Cunha beginning predominantly on the left, it’s key that Lopetegui deploys Wan-Bissaka again on his pure aspect to be able to nullify their largest risk.

Wan-Bissaka vs Coufal comparability
Stats (per 90 minutes)	Wan-Bissaka	Coufal
Objectives + Assists	0.15	0.09
Progressive Carries	3.06	1.39
Progressive Passes	4.96	4.17
Pictures Whole	0.53	0.26
Key Passes	0.74	0.56
Shot-Creating Actions	3.14	1.67
Tackles	2.07	1.11
Blocks	0.91	0.56
Interceptions	1.76	0.78
Stats taken from FBref

When analysing the important thing metrics between Wan-Bissaka and Coufal, the previous comes out on high in each single metric, offering extra development, higher output, and a better quantity of defensive actions for the aspect.

Up to now this season, the previous United man has managed so as to add an additional stage to his recreation, usually identified for his defensive qualities, however displaying he can even have an effect on the sport going forwards, scoring in back-to-back Premier League video games.

With Cunha usually ranging from the left this season, trying to drift between broad areas and the half-spaces, the presence of Wan-Bissaka will probably be wanted to cope with this risk down the left flank, forcing Cunha to both give it as much as his teammates or vacate into different areas of the pitch to have an effect on the sport.