West Ham must attack with pace for Slaven Bilic to win the sack race

Slaven Bilic must be getting that up-and-down feeling. As if he’s sliding up-and-down that odd-looking scaffolding tower which stands outside West Ham’s London Stadium.

In case you didn’t know, it is called the ArcelorMittal Orbit, which sounds a bit like some far-flung team the Hammers might lose to in a Europa League qualifying tie but is, in fact, the name of the steel company which sponsors it.

The structure includes a 178-metre long tunnel down which visitors can zoom on a hair-raising high-speed run from top to bottom.

Bilic’s season has been a similar experience – as was last season – and now he’s back on the downward curve again, with his future said to be seriously in doubt as they prepare to face Swansea City at home on Saturday. And with Carlo Ancelotti the latest big name linked with a take-over after Rafa Benitez and Roberto Mancini.

Up Bilic climbed after the win against Huddersfield ended a run of three straight away defeats. Down he tumbled after Tottenham won 3-2 in the second league game of the season last weekend at the vast, soulless arena in Stratford which will probably never really feel like home for the club or the supporters.

The apparent precariousness of Bilic’s position presents him with a particular tactical challenge against Swansea.

West Ham have scored just six times in six Premier League games in this campaign – three times they’ve finished goalless.

Yet only a fortnight ago, Paul Clement organised his side well enough to pull off a masterly stifling display to earn a goalless draw away at Spurs, with Alfie Mawson, Federico Fernandez and Mike van der Hoorn set up as three centre-backs.

The size of the pitch at Wembley, the vastness of the stands and the distance of them from the playing surface may suggest that this weekend’s game at the London Stadium could “feel” technically similar.

The Tottenham attack, however, is far more potent than West Ham’s.

Yet Bilic desperately needs a win at a place where West Ham haven’t really created any kind of big significant moment for themselves unless it’s been in the improved atmosphere under floodlights.

His tactical abilities have been questioned in recent weeks by many fans, even though most remain loyal to him and are convinced that the board are not backing him sufficiently in public.

Some of Bilic’s more recent down-beat public comments have suggested that he is resigned to his fate, although he was clearly lifted by the defeat of Huddersfield and the subsequent League Cup win against Bolton.

Much of the supporters’ doubt has focussed upon the side’s defensive fragility. But it’s on the front foot where West Ham need to make their statement this time. A dour, if satisfactory, goalless draw of the kind they recently earned at WBA won’t do.

This means resisting the siren lure of starting with Andy Carroll, whose imposing physical presence will always tempt managers in need of urgent remedies to a drought up front.

It may be, of course, that Swansea come to east London with more ambition in mind than they showed against Spurs. It would make sense, given the difference in the strength and threat of the opposition.

But with the creative Manuel Lanzini apparently fit and available again, Bilic actually has a wealth of resources at his disposal when it comes to unlocking Clement’s side.

It wasn’t until the powerful and quick Michail Antonio went off injured in the 27th minute against Tottenham last weekend that West Ham lost momentum and began the quick slide which led to them falling 3-0 behind at one stage.

He is said to have recovered from the groin injury which forced him off.

So Bilic should start again with the front three of Antonio, Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic, which would give him a good combination of muscularity, trickery and finishing acumen with which to hunt the win he requires.

Lanzini could offer some alternative ways forward off the bench, given that he lacks match sharpness after a prolonged absence.

Then it would be a toss-up between sending on Carroll or the gradually improving Andre Ayew as an alternative up front, depending on the way game is unfolding.

Bilic has to get this right. Many fans are watching him as hawkishly as the directors are said to be. It was reported that there were mocking chants about his impending sacking coming from home sections of the crowd before the futile, two-goal comeback against Spurs.

If he puts his faith in Carroll from the start on Saturday, it could produce explosive results. The giant striker always has the latently lurking ability to make things happen, when he is fit.

But his sheer size tempts West Ham into a long-ball game. And if Swansea were good enough to deal with Harry Kane and Co at Wembley, then surely they’ll also deal comfortably with a Hammers side hitting it long.

It almost goes without saying that there need to be defensive improvements, too.

So it’s not without validity that Bilic is on the brink here. West Ham are under-achieving so far this season and the fans can see – even from their seats far from the London Stadium pitch – where their side is under-performing.

What an irony it is that the giant Orbit tower by the ground is sponsored by a steel company.

West Ham began life as Thames Ironworks FC. That was a place of epic Victorian industrial grandeur while the structure outside the new ground is an awkward piece of very modern art.

They are as different as the London Stadium is from much-cherished Upton Park.

Bilic may become the new place’s first managerial casualty unless West Ham are sharper up front on Saturday.

Have your say! Vote in our poll above.