The return of Slaven Bilic
Bilic has brought a calmness and assurance as manager that rubs off on his players and no one has a bad word to say about him at the training ground. Bilic tells his team that they should be afraid of no one and should never settle for a draw, whereas Sam Allardyce, the club’s previous manager, was accused of being more interested in not losing.
Bilic presents young players making their debuts with their shirts before Europa League games, gives coaching masterclasses to the academy and delivers high-fives with the squad as they walk into the dressing room.
He showed his other side in banishing Morgan Amalfitano for his attitude after he missed a team meeting in the summer. The players realised then that Bilic was not to be crossed.
The Croatian did not give lengthy talks in pre-season, leaving the players wondering about his approach. That changed when he delivered a punchy speech about how to beat Arsenal on the opening day. This week he wanted them to ruffle and bulldoze Tottenham Hotspur.
Advertisement
The squad grasped then that there was more to him than his image as a rock star with a tattoo, earring and ability to play the guitar. He talks about his dogs as much as he does football. He has been a tracksuit manager and sets an example by using the gym in the afternoon. Even if he looks like he has gone ten rounds after a game, he has kept his emotions in check.
West Ham United now stay in a hotel before home games and Bilic promoted Tim De’ath, the club’s player liason officer and the England chef, to team manager to free him of the burden of being involved in the logistical side. Mark Noble’s bubbliness has also been a factor.
Sullivan’s eye and Payet’s class
No player since Carlos Tévez has brought so much excitement and expectation to West Ham as Dimitri Payet. The playmaker had the most assists in France last season and was watched by David Sullivan, the West Ham co-chairman, who pores over player statistics. Sullivan recommended Payet to Bilic, who returned with his detailed report on him 24 hours later. The negotiations took a month and they paid twice as much as they were initially told he would cost. Allardyce, in contrast, took umbrage at players being signed above his head.
The strength in depth was highlighted by more than £50 million of talent sitting on the substitutes’ bench when they beat Chelsea in October. West Ham exploited the loan market and spent more than £25 million on similar temporary deals including wages.
Advertisement
Training
West Ham often shipped goals in the last 15 minutes of matches last season and this time they look like winning them. They are fitter and leaner. Bilic employed Miljenko Rak, a 68-year-old fitness coach who had coached other sportspeople in Croatia.
From pre-season, training has had a high intensity and some senior players complained of being overworked and exhausted.
James Collins has cited sharper training as an important factor because it naturally feeds into games. Bilic has worked heavily on ball retention, moving it quickly and playing out from the back, using small-sized pitches and four-on-two drills, to try to change Allardyce’s direct style. Bilic wants players in possession to always have three options for a pass, otherwise their team-mates are treated as being at fault for being too static. Players are drilled on moving two metres to make an angle or option, and Bilic has screamed at anyone making a long ball to clear his lines.
He restructured sessions to begin from Tuesday and gradually attunes the players for the opposition, deviating from the norm in England of squads being off on Wednesday. For the first couple of days of the week, the players focus on things such as crossing, finishing and attacking from wide areas and it only becomes clear to them that they have been working on the opposition’s weaknesses when they are shown clips of the team later in the week.
Advertisement
Perfect tactics
They identified that Liverpool were weak on aerial balls and repeated drills paid dividends when Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll scored with headers in January.
It was similar against Tottenham when they moved to a three-man backline to prevent their opponents owning the midfield.
Kurt Zouma was identified as Chelsea’s weak link and Payet was asked to run at him. The same was said of Per Mertesacker, of Arsenal, as he was uncomfortable on the ball and that led to a goal.