Sabasports Match Preview
Premier League: West Ham United vs Nottingham Forest
Kickoff Time: 2023-11-12 22:00 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/ISABEL INFANTES
West Ham United have indeed displayed a trend of starting strong and
then experiencing a decline this season. They accumulated 10 points in the
first four league rounds but have only managed to gather four points in the
subsequent seven rounds. The turning point seems to be the beginning of their
involvement in the Europa League. It appears that they are struggling to cope
with the demands of competing on multiple fronts, as was evident in their
performance last season. Despite winning the European Conference League, they
finished in 14th place in the league. From a tactical standpoint, West Ham
United primarily adopt a defensive counterattacking style of play. They have an
average ball possession rate of only 41% per game. Their strength lies in the
midfield, as they record an average of 9.6 interceptions per game, ranking
first in the league. Additionally, they average 24.6 clearances per game
(ranking third) and 15.3 successful aerial duels per game (ranking fifth). It
is worth noting that in the mid-week Europa League match, they heavily relied
on their key players and made substitutions only after the 80th minute. This
approach may have impacted the players’ physical fitness, potentially affecting
their performance in subsequent league matches.
Source:REUTERS/JASON CAIRNDUFF
Nottingham Forest have indeed displayed a consistent performance this
season, positioning themselves as a mid-range team in the league. Their league
record consists of three wins, four draws, and four losses. It is worth noting
that their four losses came against traditional giants like Liverpool,
Manchester City, Manchester United, and Arsenal. In terms of team building,
Nottingham Forest have focused on signing forwards and defenders, indicating a
priority on defensive solidity. They rely on explosive players like Taiwo
Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga to create breakthroughs in the attack. They
demonstrate strong counter-attacking abilities and prefers to exploit wide
areas of the pitch. When comparing statistics, there are similarities between
West Ham United and Nottingham Forest. Nottingham Forest’s average ball
possession rate per game is only 38%, similar to West Ham United’s low
possession rate. Additionally, Nottingham Forest excels in midfield
interceptions, averaging nine per game (ranking fourth in the league). They
also lead the league in average clearances per game with 25.9, and their
average of 16.8 successful aerial duels per game ranks fourth.
It is true that physical fitness plays a crucial role in determining
the outcome of a match, particularly when they compete fiercely in the
midfield. Given that West Ham United have played six more games than Nottingham
Forest since September, it is likely that the visiting team, Nottingham Forest,
may have an advantage in terms of physical fitness for this particular match.
So we can certainly support Nottingham Forest in this away game.
West Ham United’ Last 5 Games: WLWLL
23-11-10 West Ham United 1-0 Olympiacos
23-11-04 Brentford 3-2 West Ham United
23-11-02 West Ham United 3-1 Arsenal
23-10-29 West Ham United 0-1 Everton
23-10-27 Olympiacos 2-1 West Ham United
Nottingham Forest’s Last 5 Games: WLDDD
23-11-05 Nottingham Forest 2-0 Aston Villa
23-10-29 Liverpool 3-0 Nottingham Forest
23-10-21 Nottingham Forest 2-2 Luton Town
23-10-08 Crystal Palace 0-0 Nottingham Forest
23-10-01 Nottingham Forest 1-1 Brentford
Head To Head Record:
23-02-25 West Ham United 4-0 Nottingham Forest
22-08-14 Nottingham Forest 1-0 West Ham United
14-01-05 Nottingham Forest 5-0 West Ham United
12-01-21 West Ham United 2-1 Nottingham Forest
11-08-28 Nottingham Forest 1-4 West Ham United
Prediction: Nottingham Forest
to win or Draw