Formed by Hammers supporters Jack Elderton and Callum Goodall to offer their fellow fans in-depth but accessible analysis of their team and its players, Analytics United will provide content for the Club’s official website, app, Official Programme and social media channels over the course of the 2023/24 season.
Here, Analytics United use performance analysis and data to examine how West Ham United can get the better of Steve Cooper’s Reds this afternoon…
After a couple of disappointing results against Everton and Brentford, West Ham will again face a side with some striking similarities in Steve Cooper’s Nottingham Forest.
Forest currently sit on 13 points, just one behind West Ham, and have started the season relatively well primarily playing a counter-attacking style that isn’t dissimilar to that which David Moyes employs in East London. They are the only Premier League side to have recorded a higher average PPDA (a less intense press) than West Ham this season (19.96) and are one of four sides to record a lower average possession figure (36.1% – the lowest in the division).
Cooper’s side prefer to sit off before engaging aggressively in the centre and looking for turnovers that can spark counter-attacks. Of course, this does mean that Forest concede space out wide but they are often able to double-up with the wingers on both sides of their standard 4-1-4-1 shape retreating to support the full-backs. Still, they’ve allowed 253 crosses this season so far, the second most in the division behind West Ham (257).
https://www.whufc.com/news/team-similar-strengths-nottingham-forest-analysed
