This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Angelo Ogbonna will play a key role for West Ham United when they face Southampton on Saturday.
On the chalkboard
West Ham are in shocking form defensively, as they have conceded two or more goals in five of their last six Premier League games.
This comes in a run of ten matches across all competitions where just one win has been earned, which has put Manuel Pellegrini under pressure.
It has been claimed that the Chilean only has the upcoming game to save his job at West Ham, and he could find himself looking towards Ogbonna to ensure the goals stay out and the game is won.
Keeping Ings out
The first thing he will need to do is keep Danny Ings at bay, as the Saints striker has an impressive return of nine goals and an assist from 13 league starts and three substitute appearances.
He has also managed 0.9 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game this term, which indicates that he is able to make an impact outside of his goal-scoring prowess.
Calling all Premier League experts: Who do these unique statistics belong to? Find out below….
Ogbonna has arguably been West Ham’s most consistent defensive performer in recent weeks and has averaged 1.3 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, 1.3 blocks and 4.9 clearances per game.
The 31-year-old will need to ensure that he steps up in this game if Pellegrini is to have any hope of keeping hold of his job.
With confidence growing in goalkeeper David Martin following some wretched errors from Roberto, the Italian should now be more assured that he can perform to the best of his abilities.
Ings has netted five in his last five outings so the Hammers backline will need to be at their absolute best. If they aren’t, it could well be a final farewell for their manager.
In other news, David Martin has been speaking about the values he thinks his teammates need to adhere to.
