By Hughie Southon
Most of what needs to have been said and written about this season is already out there – amazing is the first word to spring to mind!
We are 24 hours on from a Chelsea a defeat which was as difficult to accept as it was pleasing to see David Moyes make his Euro priorities clear by fielding an alternative first eleven.
My first – possibly uncharitable thought – was whether it could have been an even better season had he made the same sort of line up changes in games against the likes of Brentford and Burnley.
What it showed was that even with our “B’ team out, such is the Moyes organisational abilities that we came away from a tricky old game well worthy of a point.
How we managed to see a penalty saved and Daws send off in the last half a dozen minutes and lose the game was as sad as it gets but very West Ham of course.
But what a season!
We have beaten so many decent sides and knocked Sevilla – six times Euro Trophy winners – out of the competition on a thunderous London Stadium night before brushing aside Lyon on their own manor.
And that brings us to one of the most emotional moments ever with Ukranian Andriy Yarmolenko – having scored against Aston Villa on his return to action following the Russian invasion 0f his country – doing the same against the Spaniards. There won’t have been many who didn’t shed a tear.
Stunning stuff.
Jarrod Bowen showed himself to be one of our best signings in years and Craig Dawson has been incredible and my personal Hammer of the Year given the numerous problems at central defence with injuries and his brilliant performances – despite yesterday.
And another guy who gets the most honourable of mentions is Ben Johnson who has developed into a fabulously versatile player having performed at right and left, back, central defence and left wing back.
That we have seen two great young players emerge from the academy also means a belated well done must be handed to former director Terry Westley.
It’s been a fine season and we look for even better from here on in.
COYI
Agreed in many ways.
But Moyes like you have said has been to relunctant to put some players in and still did yesterday but still added Masuaku who added nothing once again.
Against Arsenal he’s going to have to change things again, Alese one more chance ?
He was on the bench again and it was typical that Moyes had for once used all 3 subs.
How ironic.
Lets be honest, other than the Europa league run – please may it continue! – this season has been worse than last, we’ve already lost more games than last season, and we definitely aren’t just going to be two points off a Champions League spot this season are we?