Fiorentina vs West Ham tactics: where to win and lose Europa Conference League final
West Ham are in the final for the first time in over 40 years and meet a Fiorentina side looking to lift their first trophy in over 30 years.
Something has to give way – and this is where an uphill battle could be won…
Rice against Amrabat
Perhaps it’s boring to suggest that the battle in midfield could decide whether a grand final is won or lost – Sofyan Amrabat thinks so after suggesting the idea that his clash with Declan Rice could be decisive in an interview this week , discarded.
Nonetheless, the duel between two of the standout defensive midfielders of the Winter World Cup will be exciting, especially as both have greater attacking skills for their club sides and both are billed for big summer moves.
Tactical fouls to stop Hammers
Fiorentina head coach Vincenzo Italiano said his side were ready to resort to tactical fouls to stop West Ham, a strategy which is likely to worry David Moyes deeply given how his side are rediscovering their counterattack talent in the final months of the season has campaign.
However, West Ham need to keep a cool head and show that they have learned from last season when the team failed due to lack of discipline at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Moyes’ goalkeeping dilemma
Alphonse Areola will keep his place but Moyes is already mooting a move to extra time if the game goes to a penalty shootout.
Lukasz Fabianski has an outstanding record, having saved seven of the 24 penalties he has faced since joining West Ham, while Areola conceded all four goals in regular time and failed to save any of Blackburn’s ten penalties in the EFL Cup shootout defeat last year.
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fiorentina-vs-west-ham-tactics-europa-conference-league-final-b1086192.html Fiorentina vs West Ham tactics: where to win and lose Europa Conference League final
