West Ham and Slaven Bilic are experiencing a difficult time in their relationship. Following the love affair that was 2015/16, the club has hit a slump. Defeat in the Europa League knockout rounds could be deemed an early warning sign, but it has been the limp start to the Premier League season that will have Hammers around the world wondering if this is another campaign of scraping by.

An often forgotten drab end to last season might have been the first time to worry for the Irons. A glut of goals conceded in the final few games could simply be put down to a side that had taken their foot far away from the gas, but it is now looking like that was something significantly more sinister.

Bilic, for all his heartache, has tried different shapes this season. He has experimented to find the most sensible system to fit in all of his gifted midfielders, as well as protecting a defence that looks unable to keep a clean sheet.

Here are three systems Bilic must try, or go back to...

3-5-2

Slaven Bilic briefly attempted to make the 3-5-2 work this season, having used it on the odd occasion last time around. Although this demands a lot of work from Michail Antonio in a wing-back role, the extra protection behind both wide men should help to limit the damage from the defensive mistakes.

Centrally is where West Ham have many of their best players and the majority want to be influencing the game from this position. Alternatively to the 3-5-2, Dimitri Payet could slot in to a free role off of Simone Zaza, making it a 3-5-1-1.

It is clearly crucial that Payet sees as much of the ball as possible for the Hammers, while having three central midfielders able to drop and cover the defence would reduce the pressure on the central defenders, who have had difficult starts to the season.

4-4-2

A formation ideal for home fixtures with pressure to win, a two man strike force would give Bilic an extra option to play a more direct game. With Antonio from the right and Payet from the left, Ashley Fletcher could fill the second striking berth alongside Simone Zaza.

Andy Carroll would thrive with another centre forward close to him, while Andre Ayew would be an ideal second striker when he returns from his injury in a few months time.

The difficulty with a 4-4-2 is, as ever, the two man central midfield. The extra running required to compensate for the lack of a third man would make Cheikhou Kouyate a definite, while Mark Noble would have to sit and protect the defence.

Not likely to be a regular formation, the 4-4-2 should be in Bilic's consideration for certain fixtures.

4-3-3

Bilic temporarily flirted with a 4-3-3 this season, as he awaited the returns of Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet.

As the side continues to struggle to keep the opposition out, this could be a legitimate option, despite the fact that it restricts Bilic's options in the final third. Zaza will be expected to lead the line, while Payet and Antonio will start on the wings and this would require that Lanzini drop to the bench.

Havard Nordtveit would fill in as the six, screening the defence, while Noble and Kouyate would be charged with getting from box-to-box to compensate for the loss of a man in the final third.