17 games to go as Moyes looks to dig us out again

By CandH blogger Allen Cummings

They say a manager can sometimes learn more about his team through adversity than he does through success. That’s probably true in most walks of life!

Having tasted defeat for the first time on Friday – following two morale-boosting victories in his first two games in charge – what will David Moyes have taken from the events at Bramall Lane on Friday night?

He will surely have seen he has a team just as much up for the fight ahead as he is. Granted it wasn’t pretty at times – but ‘pretty’ is not what this club needs right now. Sheffield United aren’t pretty, and look where they are.

Anyone who is looking for pretty football from West Ham is out of touch with reality as far as I’m concerned. Friday proved Moyes has a group of players who are prepared to roll up their sleeves and dig in to get a result.

Going behind in the way they did was hugely disappointing. Under Pellegrini that often resulted in total capitulation. It didn’t happen here!

The players kept plugging away, responding to their animated manager on the touchline (that didn’t happen under Pellegrini either), and but for that farcical ‘handball’ decision, they would have gained the point their efforts deserved.

With Lukasz Fabianski again injured, David Martin, despite the mix-up, proved he can hold the fort for as long as needed. It’s clear Moyes will persevere with his favoured three at the back formation, but there could be a question mark over Fabian Balbuena, whose lack of pace, and wayward distribution, could open the door to the more youthful and mobile Issa Diop.

Arthur Masuaku did enough to continue, while Pablo Zabaleta at the moment appears the only available option. Declan Rice of course is a fixture, and while Mark Noble wasn’t at the level he showed against Bournemouth, I believe Moyes will stick with his skipper.

Sebastian Haller worked hard for the cause winning the majority of his aerial battles, while Felipe Anderson showed he does have the heart for a battle and is capable of putting in a shift to supplement his obvious skills.

That leaves us with one spot at the moment to fill. Manuel Lanzini was the choice on Friday – but still looks to be struggling for match fitness and confidence. I must admit to being surprised Pablo Fornals didn’t start, or wasn’t given more game time when he was eventually called upon.

I see him as very much the industrious sort of player Moyes favours. Robert Snodgrass made good use of his time to stake his claim though, and should have been our point saver.

Then of course we still have a our talisman, Michail Antonio to return. It will be interesting to see how and where Moyes will use Michail when the time is right. Of course, there is also the prospect we may see some new faces coming in during January – but that remains to be seen.

We have 17 games to go – and life is going to be tough, but I believe David Moyes will have seen enough so far to believe the rescue operation he has been charged with for a second time will be brought to a successful conclusion.