West Ham United secured an impressive 2-0 victory over Newcastle at St. James’ Park, a result that will have eased some of the pressure on Julen Lopetegui.This performance marked a significant improvement from recent weeks. Let’s dive into the tactical aspects:
Newcastle aimed to press West Ham high, effectively eliminating short goal-kick options. However, this posed little concern for the Hammers, who consistently went long toward Tomas Soucek. The midfielder won over 50% of his aerial duels on the night, providing a solid outlet. Yet, playing direct football isn’t Lopetegui’s preferred style, and his team adjusted cleverly.
To counter Newcastle’s pressing, West Ham’s center-backs moved closer to goalkeeper Fabianski, spreading wide to stretch the press and create gaps centrally where West Ham lined up with a staggered pivot consisting of Carlos Soler and Lucas Paquetá in possession. The more advanced midfielder (mostly Paquetá) often dropped deep to receive passes under pressure, helping West Ham bypass the first line of Newcastle’s press. By staying close to each other and making use of their technical ability and spatial awareness, Soler and Paquetá gave West Ham much-needed composure during buildup and transition phases.
Interestingly, the full-backs adopted a deeper position—unusual for a Lopetegui team. This provided simple outlets for the center-backs under pressure and exploited the space when Soler or Paquetá played quick first-time passes wide. This positioning allowed Wan-Bissaka and Emerson to carry the ball forward effectively, making use of their strengths in progressing from deep and arriving late in the final third, rather than starting high up the pitch.
However, West Ham’s progression wasn’t without flaws. The wide positioning of Bowen and Summerville often hindered vertical connections. Stationed in line with the full-backs, they limited the center-backs’ passing options. Jean-Clair Todibo, in particular, repeatedly looked for direct vertical passes but often found only Antonio, who struggled against the physical duo of Lloyd Kelly and Fabian Schär. If Bowen and Summerville would’ve been slightly narrower in certain situations West Ham wouldn’t have been as reliant on passes down the line from the full backs to the winger to progress the ball.
In the second phase of possession, West Ham settled into a 3-2 buildup shape, with Emerson or one of the midfielders (often Soler) dropping into a left center-back position. This adjustment significantly improved their rest defense, enabling better coverage during transitions. By opting for this structure, they avoided relying solely on the center-backs to defend wide spaces, a common issue also for teams like Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs often build up in a 2-3-5 shape under Ange Postecoglou, leading to lots of space in wide areas during turnovers. Micky van de Ven’s recovery speed has been key to limiting the damage for Tottenham, and West Ham’s tweak mirrors this intent.
Some concerns out of possession still remain
However, not everything was flawless. Despite the win, West Ham conceded 18 shots and 1.64 xG, suggesting Newcastle should have found the net at least once. Alexander Isak, in particular, posed a constant threat with six shots and plenty of space, often due to Jean-Clair Todibo’s defensive lapses. Luckily the Swede didn’t have a particularly good day.
Lopetegui’s side started with an extremely high defensive line which Newcastle exploited countles times, Isak even scored an early goal which was then disallowed due to an offside position. As the game went on, West Ham lowered the line of engagement and the Magpies had fewer chances. This also highlighted Newcastle’s inability of breaking down low blocks due to the lack of a creative midfielder. While Bruno Guimarães is adept at threading passes, most of Newcastle’s midfielders are runners or thrive in open spaces. However, West Ham still showed some flaws against the ball.
In possession Soucek operated as a number 10 and participated little in build up play, a clever tactical tweak by Lopetegui. However, when possession was lost, the double pivot consisting of Paquetá and Soler left a lot of space in the centre due to their tendency to get dragged out of position while trying to aggressively win the ball. Once Soucek retreated, Soler would often step out to be the most advanced midfield out of possession which resulted in a classic 4231-shape or at times a 4141 when Paquetá also pushed up. This lack of coordination in midfield and difficulty in balancing the in possesion and the out of possession approach often left them vulnerable to Newcastle’s physicality and quick ball progression.
There was also little vertical spacing between the defensive lines which made it easier for Newcastle to play over the top. The midfield, especially Soucek, would drop very deep, almost in line with the defence when Newcastle had the ball. Bowen and Summerville were also pinned back due to Newcastle’s full backs Hall and Summerville pushing forward.
When the Hammers pressed Newcastle high Antonio would look to close off any passes towards Fabian Schär, who operated as the right-sided centre back. The press showed more intensity and structure than in previous weeks, but it’s clear West Ham still have work to do before they can be considered an effective pressing side.
To conclude: This was a solid performance by West Ham against a lackluster Newcastle team. Julen Lopetegui’s adjustments, particularly the improved rest defense and the influence of the Soler-Paquetá pivot in possession, showed some much-needed tactical flexibility. While defensive issues persist—particularly in terms of structure and transitions—the signs of progress are evident. West Ham are starting to adapt to Lopetegui’s style, and with continued improvement, they could begin to find consistency in both performances and results.
