Manuel Pellegrini's philosophy is one which is synonymous with free-flowing football, and his career at Manchester City can provide an insight into which player could become fundamental to his success in east London. 

It's certainly too early in Pellegrini's reign to form concrete judgements about the direction in which West Ham are heading, but it's fair to say that the club are trying to build an identity and platform for the future which should delight the Hammers faithful.

With Pep Guardiola setting the benchmark for how the beautiful game ought to be played across Europe, a stronger focus on possession-based football is sweeping throughout the Premier League. The appointment of Pellegrini, Marco Silva at Everton and Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea serve to justify that notion.

Fans want to see football played in the manner which is commonly perceived to be the most entertaining and, to some extent, the most moral approach. That is what Pellegrini promises to bring, but teething problems in the process of imprinting his personal style are bound to occur during a period of time in which the personnel residing within his squad may not be totally compatible with his demands.

However, in Jack Wilshere, Pellegrini has a perfect midfield lynchpin who epitomises the most defining aspects of his philosophy. A technically gifted ball player by nature, Wilshere is the type of deep-lying playmaker that Pellegrini's teams require to realise the full extent of their quality.

Collecting the ball deep in midfield before bursting into the final-third, Wilshere has the guile to unlock opponents on his day. A key feature of Pellegrini's success at Man City was his ability to create spaces for the full-backs down the flanks, who were then found by the vision of the talented central midfielders at his disposal, and in Wilshere he has a player who can recreate similar situations.

The problem for Pellegrini is that Wilshere simply cannot be trusted to stay fit, and the warning signs are already in place to suggest that his career at the London Stadium may yet prove to be a disappointment.

Sidelined after just 4 appearances for the Hammers, Wilshere has rarely been seen this season after collecting an ankle injury, and his absence has certainly undermined Pellegrini's efforts to implement his strategy at the club.

Sceptical onlookers have been quick to write him off after his underwhelming start and subsequent injury problem, but his compatibility with Pellegrini should ensure that he will prove his doubters wrong upon his return.

West Ham fans - thoughts? Let us know below!