Andriy Yarmolenko could be about to revolutionise West Ham United’s flagging attack against Brighton.
Is Haller being mistreated by Moyes or does he simply have to toughen up?
David Moyes has all but given up on Sebastien Haller.
The Scot simply does not rate the £45million man. And despite Haller being his only recognised fit senior striker, Moyes looks set to drop him and give winger Yarmolenko a chance up front instead.
Moyes fed up with Haller
Speaking after the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, Moyes said he must find his new Marko Arnautovic or Michail Antonio (Evening Standard).
The inference was that perhaps one of his wingers needs to step up and show the striker how it is done.
It has since emerged, via a journalist acquaintance of West Ham insiders Claret & Hugh, that Moyes spent most of the Chelsea game berating Haller from the sideline.
Other West Ham players also made their frustration with Haller clear.
Now Yarmo looks set for his big chance against Brighton. But how will it work? Indeed will it work at all?
Well the evidence suggests it will.
Yarmo the man to make false nine work for West Ham
Yarmolenko is a brilliant finisher, one of the best at the club.
He has nearly 200 goals in over 500 appearances in his career for club and country.
That is phenomenal for a winger. But the truth is Yarmo has often been deployed, particularly for Ukraine in recent years, as a false nine forward.
While Yarmo is not particularly quick, he is very technically gifted and it makes him ideal for the tole.
The false 9 is effectively an unconventional lone striker or centre-forward who drops deep into midfield.
Role is perfect for 200-goal winger who has played there with success for Ukraine
That creates a problem for opposing centre-backs who can either follow the false 9, leaving space behind them for the likes of Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals, Manuel Lanzini and Jarrod Bowen. Or they leave the false 9 to have time and space to dribble or pick out passes or in Yarmo’s case the top corner of the goal from range.
The key attributes for a false 9 are similar to those of a deep-lying striker. Dribbling ability to take advantage of space between the lines, good short passing ability to link up with the midfield and vision to play through teammates making runs from deep to goal.
Essentially the role is made for Yarmo and will suit West Ham’s other attackers too.
Haller simply does not fit West Ham’s style. And he would be bullied by the likes of Lewis Dunk, playing right into Brighton’s hands.
Yarmolenko as a false nine could be about to give West Ham a whole new dimension, particularly while Michail Antonio is out.
Moyes to make two huge changes to West Ham side for Brighton?
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