Make no mistake about it, Slaven Bilic’s job is hanging by a thread.

The West Ham board may have come out in support of their under-fire manager following a humiliating defeat to Arsenal on Saturday, but this is the Premier League we’re talking about – most tenures have a lifespan of less than a calendar year and there’s only so long the Hammers can continue picking up poor results.

For a club with such fantastic support and such an incredible new ground, a relegation battle seems practically inconceivable. So if the Irons aren’t a little further from the drop zone after their next four games (Liverpool, Burnley, Hull and Swansea), the club will feel compelled to make a change.

Bilic still has time on his side and could yet turn West Ham’s torrid campaign around – but he must act quickly. With that in mind, FootballFanCast look at FOUR ways Slaven can save his job.

Change to four at the back

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The three-man defensive set-up provided some respite in results immediately following West Ham’s woeful start to the season but it’s really not produced the goods since – particularly during hefty batterings at the hands of Manchester United at Arsenal.

The back three aren’t offered enough protection from midfield and although an ideal candidate on paper, the wing-back role isn’t getting the best out of Aaron Cresswell defensively or offensively on the left-hand side. Likewise, we all know about Michail Antonio’s vulnerabilities when in his own third.

It’s time for West Ham to revert back to something familiar – namely, a 4-2-3-1 system – which is commonplace in the Premier League – that has two screening midfielders in front of a four-strong backline.

Of course, right-back remains the problem area with Sam Byram sidelined and the ageing Alvaro Arbeloa the only real alternative within the squad. But whether it’s a centre-half coming over or an industrious midfielder filling in, Bilic needs to find a candidate who can do the job and complete a four-man backline until reinforcements arrive in January.

Reduce games to set piece warfare

Only bottom-placed Hull City have scored fewer goals from open play than West Ham this season but in turn, the Hammers have scored the fourth-most goals from set pieces with an impressive seven.

Set pieces often decide games in the Premier League, especially for those at the more worrying end of the table, and although it may not be particularly befitting of the ‘West Ham way’, Bilic can’t afford to not take advantage of his side’s potency from such situations.

After all, the Hammers have some great options in the air – such as Winston Reid, James Collins, Angelo Ogbonna, Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll – and three fantastic deliverers of the ball in Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini and Aaron Cresswell, so there’s no reason the Irons can’t further maximise their chances of scoring from dead ball situations.

Making sure set pieces are the difference may require keeping open play as tight as possible, adopting a – dare I say it – Sam Allardyce approach in the process. But set pieces are West Ham’s likeliest chance of scoring at the moment, so it’s down to Bilic to ensure their games are decided by them.

Image courtesy of Whoscored.

Cut the squad

Bilic’s revelation that some players aren’t pulling their weight in training is incredibly worrying at this point in the season, especially with West Ham currently just a point above the relegation zone.

Despite the fanfare surrounding many of their arrivals, it’s quite clear a number of summer signings just aren’t up to standard and that appears to have watered down the mentality of the entire squad, who arguably entered the campaign complacent anyway after being sold dreams of European football at their brand-spanking-new stadium during the summer.

Bilic may not survive until the January transfer window if the current results continue, but it’s at least close enough for him to use as a threat in the hope of getting some players to buck up their ideas.

Negativity and laziness can spread like wildfire in the dressing room, so Bilic needs to identify the biggest culprits, tell them they’ll be off in January and send them to train with the reserves in the meantime. That should get a reaction out of the team and make them aware of how serious the situation has become.

At the same time, West Ham have used the second-most players of any side in the Premier League this term, a whopping 26, and the sheer volume of options in each position is seemingly causing more problems than it solves. Trimming down the squad should save Bilic a few selection headaches and allow him to focus on key individuals rather than keeping everybody happy.

Image courtesy of Transfermarkt.

Tougher internal punishments for ill-discipline

West Ham have the worst disciplinary record in the Premier League so far this season, picking up 36 yellow cards and two reds in just 14 games. Admittedly, some have come out of frustration due to poor performances but nonetheless, that yellow card count is far too high at this point in the campaign – the Premier League average is under 28.

It may not seem a huge issue and West Ham fans undoubtedly like to see their team get stuck in, even if the referee doesn’t always agree. But yellow cards affect games; they give away free kicks and allow opposition attackers to run at certain individuals knowing they’ll be reluctant to challenge; and red cards affect team selections, which isn’t making Bilic’s job any easier.

It’s likely West Ham already have an internal punishment system in place for such indiscretions. But it’s proving to be a real thorn in their side this season and Bilic must look to improve discipline by bringing in tougher sanctions. Fewer bookings and suspensions could have a surprisingly big impact on West Ham’s campaign.

Image courtesy of Whoscored.

The Chelsea fans in the Transfer Tavern are toasting to reports of a few proposed new signings…

The Blues are on a roll this season, but ever the perfectionist – it would appear as though Antonio Conte is plotting a few upgrades for his already impressive team.

Despite both N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic forming a fantastic partnership this season, it seems as though Conte is not pleased with his lack of depth in the heart of the midfield – and the Italian has subsequently set his sights on a couple of Europe’s most impressive midfield stars.

One player that has been linked with the Blues is Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal, who, undoubtedly, would have a huge impact in the Premier League.

One less well-known target is Franck Kessie, who currently plays for Atlanta in Serie A, who is a box-to-box midfielder who would add a real dose of energy to the Chelsea midfield.

Should both players arrive, it appears likely that Conte would shift to a 3 man midfield as he looks to accommodate them all. Conte has seemingly set his sights on a midfield rebuild – and the results would produce quite the impressive midfield trio.

With that said, could this be the dream new-look Chelsea midfield under Conte?

 DM  – N’Golo Kante

N’Golo Kante would undoubtedly retain his place despite Conte’s proposed midfield rebuild – given that his first season in London has been very impressive.

A defensive midfielder by trade, Kante would sit behind the rest of the players in this midfield – offering protection whilst his teammates look to move forward and create chances.

He keeps it simple, but what he does is fantastic.

 CM – Franck Kessie

Franck Kessie is a 20-year-old box-to-box midfielder, and in truth – he looks like one of the most impressive young footballers in Europe.

Currently plying his trade for Atlanta in Serie A, Kessie never stops running – and he would add a real energy to the Chelsea midfield.

He would likely come in in place of Cesc Fabregas who, whilst impressive when spraying balls forward, lacks the mobility to really play much of a role in the heart of the midfield.

He is young, so he would be a player for the future – though he would certainly make an immediate impact.

 CM – Arturo Vidal

Arturo Vidal is one of Europe’s most well-renowned midfielders, and the Chilean would be a coup should Conte be able to land him.

The chances are decent, of course, due to Vidal’s relationship with Conte from their time together with Juventus – meaning that Conte does already have a natural relationship with him.

This would also, crucially, mean that Vidal would be able to immediately adapt to Conte’s methods – meaning that he could improve Chelsea’s midfield straight away.

Offering an offensive threat and defensive stability – he would be perfect in the Premier League.

Everton winger Yannick Bolasie has been spending his time out injured giving a helping hand to his former non-league side Hillingdon Borough.

The Spartan South Midlands League outfit came close to pulling out of the division because of limited support, but they later revealed on Twitter that things are back on track, largely thanks to Bolasie.

The 27-year-old is now earning the big bucks and playing at the top level in the Premier League, but he once took to the pitch for the Middlesex-based team as a teenager.

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The DR Congo international did not receive a wage when he played for the non-league outfit, but he was rewarded in burgers whenever he scored a goal.

After receiving support from Bolasie, chairwoman Dee Dhand told The Mirror:

“When Bolasie heard the news he got in contact to offer us his moral support. He’s always thinking of us and has a lot of respect for the club. He wanted to find out what was happening and how he could help.

“But it’s not a financial issue. We own our ground and generate funds from hiring our facilities. We just feel there’s a lack of support for the club and Non-League football in general.

“I wanted to sign him for £20-a-week, but others didn’t agree. I ended up giving him a burger for every goal. He once scored eight, so he shared them with his teammates.”

From the non-league outfit, Bolasie went on to play for Plymouth, Barnet, Bristol City and Crystal Palace, where he spent four years before joining Everton in a £24m deal last summer.

The winger started the campaign well, making 12 Premier League appearances before being struck down with a knee ligament injury, which could keep him out of action for an entire year.

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Moussa Dembele has become an instant hit north of the border with Celtic and the young Frenchman has established himself as one of the most exciting young strikers within world football, standing as a huge coup for Brendan Rodgers’ side.Whether the Scottish champions can keep hold of the former Fulham man remains to be seen but the Bhoys have enjoyed his fine performances this season, with Dembele always being a threat to the opposition- even if he’s only just entered the field.In the dramatic 5-2 victory against St. Johnstone today, Dembele grabbed the headlines once again with a fine hat-trick, his second this season having netting three in the Old Firm, and this one may be even more impressive.

Coming on the field after 58 minutes, Moussa Dembele had got his name on the scoresheet after just three minutes and doubled his tally 14 minutes later. Another ten minutes after that, the youngster ensured he was taking home the match ball.

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Massive highs and crushing lows have been the story of Liverpool’s season since they last faced Spurs back in August. The two clubs’ meeting this weekend is our Fixture in Focus here at Football FanCast, and we’re predicting another interesting battle between the Merseyside and London double act after their 1-1 at White Hart Lane.

Following that game, Liverpool went on a decent run that saw them talked about as title contenders, before a poor start to 2017, which, as things stand, is threatening to undo all of the good work put in by Jurgen Klopp’s side.

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Spurs’ campaign has been quite the opposite, with the Lilywhites struggling to get going through the Autumn before hitting a purple patch of form around Christmas that has catapulted them up to second place and made them Chelsea’s only realistic competition for the title at this time – however they are nine points behind the Blues.

In the run up to this tie, we take a look back at Liverpool’s season since they last played Tottenham in league action in the form of TEN incredible images. Enjoy

There’s no place like home

Due to the long-running summer work to expand Anfield’s Main Stand, the Reds didn’t take to their own home turf until the fourth game of the season, and boy did they enjoy it. Reigning champions Leicester came to town and were dispatched 4-1, with the only blot on Klopp’s side’s copybook being the wayward pass across his own area by Lucas Leiva that was gleefully turned in by Jamie Vardy. At the other end, Roberto Firmino (x2), Sadio Mane and Adam Lallana netted as the Merseyside club ran riot.

The above picture shows the redeveloped stand’s entrance with fans passing through for the first time.

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Chelsea left feeling Blue

It may seem like a long time ago, but Chelsea were wobbling a little but back in mid-September. The Blues had won their opening three games, but a draw at Swansea was followed by a loss at home to Liverpool, which in turn was succeeded by a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Arsenal.

We’ll focus on the Reds’ triumph in the west end of London, which was sealed by Jordan Henderson’s wonder-strike. Dejan Lovren had put the travellers ahead with a neat set-piece goal, but the skipper’s sumptuous curling effort from way outside the penalty area was stunning and left (as the picture above shows) Thibaut Courtois helpless as it flew into the net. The game ended 2-1 with Diego Costa pulling one back in the second-half.

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Performance of the season?

Still the joint-biggest win of the season so far, Liverpool’s 6-1 triumph over Watford may go down as their performance of 2016/17. Everything just clicked for Klopp’s Reds that Sunday in November, with Sadio Mane (celebrating above) opening the scoring just shy of the 30-minute mark. Philippe Coutinho, Emre Can, Roberto Firmino, Mane again and Georginio Wijnaldum all netted after the Senegalese star’s opener, while Daryl Janmaat pulled one back for a Hornets side that were riding high in the top half of the table before this result.

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Painful day on the South Coast

Liverpool had forgotten what losing felt like by the time they travelled to the Dorset coast to face Bournemouth on the first weekend of December having not tasted defeat since a shock result at Burnley during their second match of the season, but those feelings soon flooded back thanks to the Cherries.

The Reds dominated the opening exchanges of the match with Mane and Divock Origi scoring, but a Callum Wilson penalty in the second-half made things nervy. Can went straight up the other end to make it 3-1, somewhat calming those nerves in the process, however, Ryan Fraser netted before Steve Cook (celebrating above) equalised with a wonderful half-volley.

Then the drama really came as Cook again influenced play with a shot from distance that Loris Karius spilled at the feet of Nathan Ake, who gleefully poked home. 4-3, and the first sign that the German stopper was out of his depth in the Liverpool goal.

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Derby delight

Sometimes grubby wins are more satisfying than complete dominations, and Liverpool felt that when they edged past Everton at Goodison Park. As always, the Merseyside Derby was tightly contested and full of thudding challenges, but there was a distinct lack of quality from both sides as they battled under the floodlights on a cold December Monday night.

It looked as if the game was destined to be 0-0, but late substitute Daniel Sturridge’s dragged shot came back of Joel Robles’ post and into the path of Mane, who tucked it away FOUR MINUTES into the stoppage time. A nice early Christmas present for Kopites.

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Gini in a bottle

Liverpool fans didn’t know at the time that this would be their last win for over a month (still their most recent league win, too), and the feeling was that beating Manchester City would make it a two-horse race between themselves and Chelsea for the title. Wijnaldum scored the only goal of the game with a towering header as Klopp’s men once again showed their nous in the big games.

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Collector’s item

Before his header at Plymouth’s Home Park, Lucas had not netted for Liverpool since September 2010. Goals have never really been a part of the Brazilian’s game, but that’s a long stretch for any non-defender playing at the top level of football.

His effort in Devon won an FA Cup Third Round tie that had seen Klopp field a heavily rotated XI only to be held to a draw by the League Two men at Anfield. The return trip was again contested by a rotated team, but Lucas, one of the few senior players on show, stood up and did his job.

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The Saints go marching on

Perhaps the lowest point of Liverpool’s miserable 2017 up to this point, the Reds headed back to Anfield in their EFL Cup semi-final tie against Southampton having come away from Hampshire with a 1-0 loss. The stage was set for one for those famous nights under the floodlights on the banks of the River Mersey, yet a flat showing was produced with very few chances made and players all across the pitch lacking the verve and confidence that summed up their play earlier in the campaign.

Shane Long scored a breakaway goal late on to make it 2-0 to the Saints on aggregate, booking Claude Puel (above) a place in a major Wembley final in his first season in England.

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Hunted by the Wolves

Just days after the Southampton blow, Liverpool were knocked out of English football’s other domestic cup, suffering FA Cup elimination at the hands of Championship outfit Wolves. Defender Richard Stearman set the tone for a difficult afternoon by heading home from a set-piece with just seconds on the clock – he appeared to be offside, too – and Andreas Weimann made it 2-0 shortly before the half-time break. Divock Origi eventually pulled one back with just minutes to play, but Liverpool again failed to capitalise on their domination of play – a worrying trend from 2017 so far.

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To Hull and back

Following cup blows, a trip to Hull and a shocking loss saw Liverpool slide out of the top four, leaving their entire season on the verge of collapse. As has been the story of recent matches, the Reds hounded at the Tigers’ door but could find no answer before a set-piece error allowed Alfred N’Diaye top tap home. To rub salt in the wounds, Everton loanee Oumar Niasse wrapped up the points for Hull late on as he latched onto a long ball forward to put through Simon Mignolet’s legs.

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Everton and West Ham have already started to make their approach to Manchester City veteran Bacary Sagna as the Frenchman reaches the end of his contract, SportWitness cite Le 10 Sport as reporting.

What’s the word?

34-year-old Bacary Sagna is out of contract with Manchester City at the end of the season and opportunities are arising for the Frenchman to remain in the Premier League, with both Everton and West Ham making an approach.

First arriving in English football a decade ago, joining Arsenal, Sagna is one of the most experienced defenders currently plying his trade in the Premier League and would be a significant addition to both the Hammers and the Toffees.

Remaining in England could be appealing to the veteran, as he’ll likely have hopes of playing for France at the World Cup at the end of the 2017/18 season, and with two top-sides in for his signature it’s set to be an interesting saga.

Who else is keen?

As well as suitors from the Premier League, Bacary Sagna is also said to be attracting the attention of Marseille and a move to the Ligue 1 side, who can be regarded as a sleeping giant, is an interesting prospect given the club’s takeover last summer.

Marseille are pushing for European football, as are Everton, and opportunities in continental competition may swing things in the favour of the offering party. Wages may also come into though and Marseille would be unlikely to be able to offer the same as Sagna would make in England.

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As reported by The Mirror, Ronald Koeman has emerged as the shock favourite to succeed Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.

What’s the story?

With his contract up at the end of the season, results not improving and the fact he’s still not given an indication whether he’ll stay on, speculation around Arsene Wenger’s future at Arsenal continues to be at the forefront of every Gunners supporter’s mind.

Perhaps then the latest report from The Mirror will give them some hope that stability is on its way to the Emirates with the paper suggesting that Everton manager Koeman is the Arsenal chiefs’ choice to take over from Wenger.

However, it all rests on the Frenchman who still has a 2 year contract on the table should he wish to commit to the club.

The Gunners face competition from Barcelona for Koeman too, say The Mirror, with the Catalan giants also targeting the Toffees’ boss who was a former playing hero at the Nou Camp.

Could he do the job?

Ronald Koeman is a talented, pragmatic manager that would at the very least take Arsenal in a different direction. So far in England he’s performed well in the Premier League, particularly at Southampton, although his reign at Everton is beginning to pick up too after a slow start.

With an unbelievable playing career behind him, he’s carried his winning mentality into management too, winning five major honours in spells in Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish football.

Is he the right man for Arsenal? That remains to be seen but it’s no surprise that the likes of the Gunners and Barcelona are taking a very close look at him.

Arsenal could do a lot worse, let’s put it that way.

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Former Manchester United star Edwin van der Sar has written in his column for De Telegraaf that goalkeeper Tim Krul should leave Newcastle United in the summer.

What’s the word?

It was not too long ago when Krul was the number one at St James’ Park, but he lost the position last year due to injury.

The 28-year-old Dutchman was farmed out to Ajax on loan at the start of this season in order to get some minutes under his belt, but it was a disappointing spell.

He failed to make a single competitive forst-team appearance in six months, but rather than return to Newcastle in January, he was sent to AZ Alkmaar.

Krul has had better luck at this Eredivisie club as he has made eight appearances in all competitions.

Van der Sar, who spent six years playing for United, believes that the time is right for Krul to move on.

He wrote in his column:

“I hope [moving to AZ is] a turning point for him and that he’s going to make the next step in his career. Look at me, I would say, when I was 34-years-old. I also made the move towards an international club. That is the place you want to be in as with many Dutch footballers.”

Should Krul give up on Newcastle?

In fairness to the shot-stopper, it seems that the Magpies have given up on him already.

In the summer, manager Rafael Benitez recruited Matz Sels, which made it even harder for Krul to win back his place, particularly as Karl Darlow is now first choice.

At his age, Krul still has plenty of time to compete at the top level, and given the current goalkeeping situation at Newcastle, it could be a step backwards if he returns.

It would be a big moment in Krul’s career to leave the North-East outfit permanently as he has been associated with the club since 2005, when he joined the club’s academy.

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As reported by The Scottish Sun, Tom Rogic is nearing a Celtic return and has started full training at Lennoxtown again, following an ankle injury that has kept him out of the side since December.

What’s the story?

Rogic had to undergo surgery on an ankle injury that was suffered in training, as he attempted to return from another ankle injury sustained in December.

It’s been a blow for club and country with the Australian in lethal form for both over the last 12 months.

The Scottish Sun reckon that the attacking midfielder could return as early as 8th April, when the Hoops take on Kilmarnock at Celtic Park.

That means he could get vital game time ahead of the Hoops’ crunch semi-final against Rangers at Hampden, one of the major roadblocks in their quest for a domestic treble of trophies.

How important is his return?

Rogic was one of Brendan Rodgers’ most important players in the opening half of the season, scoring 10 goals and assisting 3 more. Those are impressive numbers considering he hasn’t featured since 17th December.

A big game player, his return could play a vital role in securing the treble. With the league almost signed, sealed and delivered, it’s the matches at Hampden that are now the big tests between now and the end of the season.

The Australian enjoys a game at Hampden, scoring against Rangers in last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final and also netting the opening goal in this season’s League Cup Final against Aberdeen.

If he can get important game time before that match against Rangers, his presence could add an extra attacking dimension to the Celtic team and change up how they approach the game compared to the recent draw at Celtic Park. That could be the difference in a game likely to be decided by small margins.

Everton came so close to taking all three points against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, but in the end they had to settle for a point.

Phil Jagielka’s early goal looked to have given the Toffees a crucial win – and one that would have taken them above their opponents in the Premier League table – but when Ashley Williams was red-carded in injury-time for handling a goal-bound effort, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on hand to put away the penalty.

Ronald Koeman tweeted after the match that he felt his team were unfortunate not to get the victory, but supporters were less than impressed with his substitutions.

Toffees fans believe that it was too negative to bring on Matthew Pennington in place of Kevin Mirallas, while they also think that the Dutchman needed to utilise the pace of unused substitute Ademola Lookman in order to try and keep the ball in the opposition half.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…