How West Ham Could Lineup Post January Window With 34-capped Englishman Under Moyes

How Will Jack Wilshere Line Up With West Ham United Under David Moyes?

West Ham United are reportedly interested in a January move for Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere. The 25-year-old was a formidable presence once upon a time for the Gunners but a series of injuries have massively stunted his growth. He did start in their recent match against the Hammers and put on a decent display. If he were to move, Arsenal will undoubtedly miss out on one of their most talented players but one man’s loss can be another man’s gain.

The Hammers have not had a great time in the Premier League this season so far. They are currently occupying the 19th spot and are teetering dangerously on the brink of relegation. Their dismal performances saw Slaven Bilic get sacked and the pressure is immense on David Moyes now, who was appointed the new manager shortly after Bilic’s dismissal. For the club to even climb out of relegation danger seems tough at this point and to have a player like Wilshere in their ranks could boost their chances of survival.

Once regarded as the brightest talent in the league, Wilshere has played shoulder-to-shoulder against the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta and even bossed them in the midfield when the Gunners played Barcelona in a fateful match a few years back. The player is lethal when he is at his best and for him to get back to his old form, Wilshere needs to play often.

Regular game time for Wilshere has been hard to come by under Arsene Wenger, making it likely for the Hammers to actually get their man. The young Englishman will be looking to impress Gareth Southgate to cement a spot for himself in the English squad for the 2018 World Cup and a move to West Ham could help him do that. If he does join them though, here are the ways in which they could line up.

In a 4-2-3-1:

Arthur Masuaku/Marko Arnautovic (LW)

Masuaku was particularly impressive in their win against Chelsea and Moyes is likely to deploy him in a more regular role. However, Arnautovic has also been quite strong lately and makes a strong case for Moyes to choose him.

Jack Wilshere (CAM)

Lanzini occupies this spot at present but with Wilshere in the mix, Moyes could use either of the two in this role – thus providing scope for healthy squad rotation.

Michail Antonio (RW)

Antonio could take up his usual role on the right-hand side to supply pace and creativity.

Diafra Sakho/Javier Hernandez (CF)

Although Hernandez has proven to be more tenacious in this role, Moyes could choose between the two.

In a 4-3-3 (with either Obiang, Rice or Noble as a defensive midfielder):

Jack Wilshere (CM)

Wilshere’s dominance and trickery in the middle could prove vital for the Hammers.

Manuel Lanzini (CM)

Lanzini could partner him and the duo could actually do well, considering the fact that Wilshere makes up for what Lanzini lacks and vice-versa.

The front 3 could be composed of the same ones mentioned in the previous formation (Masuaku/Arnautovic, Sakho/Hernandez, Antonio).