Player Focus: Unsung Hero Kouyaté Vital in Bilic's West Ham Set-up
West Ham have earned numerous plaudits for their performances in the Premier League this season. Despite this being his debut managerial campaign in England, Slaven Bilic has taken to the rigours of English football like a duck to water. The Hammers currently sit just two points off fifth-placed Manchester United, with many expecting the east London outfit to secure a European finish.
Much of the praise for their impressive season to date has been thrust in the direction of Dimitri Payet. The Frenchman has warranted the adulation given his start to life at Upton Park, with Payet central to the Hammers’ creative verve. Manuel Lanzini and Victor Moses have also performed admirably following their respective summer moves, but all three have been allowed to flex their creative muscles thanks to their defensive teammates.
One of those who has been a key member of the team, both under Bilic and with Sam Allardyce at the helm last term, is Cheikhou Kouyate. The latter brought him to the capital from Anderlecht 18 months ago and after a solid debut campaign in London, the powerhouse midfielder has taken his game to the next level with Bilic at the club. Only Payet (7.64) has gained a better WhoScored rating than Kouyate (7.26) of all West Ham players.
When West Ham announced the return of Alex Song and the capture of Pedro Obiang last summer, Kouyate’s position in the side perhaps came under threat, but he’s used the extra competition for a starting berth to his advantage to once again hold down a regular spot alongside Mark Noble. The similarity in the duo’s game suggests they may have struggled alongside one another, but Noble and Kouyate have developed a commendable understanding with one another, so when one pushes forward, the other sits deeper to shield the defence.
More often than not, it’s Noble who is the deeper lying of the two midfielders, with the West Ham captain dropping closer to the defence to pick up possession from the centre-backs. It comes as little shock that Noble is averaging more passes per game (52.4) than any other West Ham player in the Premier League this season given his crucial role in bringing the ball out from the back and ensuring the Hammers don’t resort to playing the ball long, which had become a criticism of Allardyce's tenure.
As such, Kouyate is granted a license to press forward and support the West Ham attack, with his power a key asset in linking midfield to attack. His influence was missed during the 1-0 defeat at Southampton on Saturday, with Song in particular struggling to replicate the quality Kouyate brings to the team.
However, while he may press forward more than Noble in Bilic’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, Kouyate isn’t one to shirk his defensive duties. Only Noble (116) and James Tomkins (114) have made more tackles and interceptions combined than the Senegal international (104) of West Ham players in England’s top tier this season. Having missed three games this season, it’s feasible to suggest that figure would have been higher had he been available to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, Bournemouth at Dean Court and Saints this past weekend.
Perhaps the biggest indicator that his attacking qualities are essential for West Ham is that only Payet (6) has scored more league goals at the club than Kouyate (4) this season. With the strikers at times flattering to deceive in front of goal and the ongoing injury concerns of Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll, Bilic needs his players to chip in with goals when it’s needed of them. The Hammers have had 14 different players score for them this season and while the lack of out-and-out goalscorer could be a hindrance, the personnel available to the manager is a help.
This provides Bilic with a number of alternative routes to goal, with Kouyate one of those capable of finding the back of the net when it’s needed. One of his greatest qualities is his aerial ability, a WhoScored strength of his. The presence of the Senegalese midfielder is enough to deter any defender and it comes as little shock that no West Ham player has had more shots from set piece situations than Kouyate (11) in the Premier League this term, including a header that bounced off the crossbar and over in West Ham's recent 2-2 draw with Manchester City.
With Bilic able to call on set piece takers Payet and Aaron Cresswell, he needs his players to provide an offensive threat from free kicks and corners. Kouyate is often one of the club’s unsung heroes, with his work on and off the ball going under the radar, but he remains one of the manager’s more important players. As West Ham maintain their pursuit of a Europa League return, one would expect the midfielder to play a vital role for the Hammers once more.
How important is Cheikhou Kouyate in West Ham's quest for a European finish this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
West Ham don't play 4-2-3-1 - they pretty much always operate with one sitting midfielder in more of a 4-1-4-1, as they did right through Allardyce's stewardship. So this talk of partnerships in midfield is misleading.