Dear David….
CandH blogger Allen Cummings sends the Scot an appeal!
I’m not interested in recent polls and votes of no confidence. Everyone is entitled to their view. We all see things differently. It’s what football is all about. But there’s a time and a place things like this, and in my view it’s not here and certainly not now. My only concern right now is for my team to survive. To retain their place in the best league in the world.
It’s fair to say we’ve had a traumatic season. There have been some highs, but there have been many more lows. When you came to this club we were rock bottom, in the relegation zone and looking odds on to stay there. It’s been a tough and rocky road, but you’ve taken us to where we are today. In a better position than many of us dared to imagine six months ago. Within touching distance of absolute safety. But still not quite there. In my opinion you deserve credit for that.
In a strange way, where we are now has created a real dilemma for you. For the up-coming Leicester game do you go for the win that would surely take us over the line? Or do you opt to play safe? Hard to beat. Try to snatch a goal, but at the same time making sure you don’t concede one. In other words do you stick or do you twist?
Leicester’s season is done. There’s nothing for them to play for. The general feeling is they could be there for the taking. If we’re bold enough! You have a preferred way of playing David, and it’s fair to say it has worked on certain occasions. Stoke away, Huddersfield away and Southampton home being prime examples. But it’s a style that’s come in for much criticism. Too cautious. Too defensive. Too stifling of the players we have at the club.
I know you are your own man. You’re single minded. Some might say stubborn. But this weekend I urge you to change your preferred game plan. Give your players the license to be more adventurous. Trust them to go in search of goals. In the likes of Arnautovic, Hernandez, Carroll and Lanzini we have talented players. Skilful players. Players who love to attack and score goals. Players that can really frighten and hurt the opposition on their day. Give them their day on Saturday. Show you trust in them and their skills. Give them the opportunity to go and win the game for us.
We’ve heard from the likes of Zabaleta and Cresswell, both talking about going into the game in a ‘positive’ frame of mind. We might hear from the captain later, with a similar message. But the one we really want to hear and see ‘positivity’ from is you. Lift the depression of the last seven days. Set the team up and send them out with instructions to attack. Go for it. Be positive. Be bold. Give us the end to the season we all long for!
Yours in faith
Allen Cummings
Totally agree. lets hope Moyes reads your article and puts it in action
100% Right; I’m a Moyes fan, but even I realise he’s been a bit too cautious when an attacking formation in certain games would have given us the points we now need. It’s attack or nothing in this game, even though historically, Leicester away has never been one of our more ‘fruitful’ fixtures??? COYI
We really have to go for it tomorrow.Leicester cannot possibly be as abject as they were at Palace.Surely Hernandez or Carroll must start and Evra and Kouyate dropped.Cannot believe how bad Kouyate has been this season.A total liability and one of the main reasons we are in this position.
Don’t be rediculous . Kouyate is to blame for two seasons of poor play and the never ending Injury List . Get a grip .
When Bilic left after the Liverpool home fixture on 4th November, West Ham were in 17th place. They had been out of the relegation zone for five games since 30th September. West Ham returned to the bottom three after Moyes’ first game in charge on 19th November after the international break. They are currently 15th, an improvement of just two places.
Moyes changing his plan. Right. Then we can gather two of every animal and build ourselves an ark. Not meaning to sound rudely cheeky. I agree. Just cannot see it.
It’s our game because it will be . The Pundits can go drink gin tonics and enjoy Thier free lunches . Great players don’t need to turn to Punditry ,,, that’s why the lesser ex players do it . Merson was never a great name at Arsenal , Lawrenson was never a great name at Liverpool and La Tissier was never a great name at Southampton . The only pundit worth his salts is Thompson . Nicholas was a waste of space and is trying to fill it by words . I am old enough to have seen these pundits play Thier stuff ,,, and believe me they were nowhere as good as the players they pundit upon . At least Gerard ( for whom I have the greatest respect ) has the guts to take on the Management roll . Redknapp and Ferdinand and Lineker can all go do one in my option . And just why Henry is commenting on the Premiership is a mystery . He is French and should be commentating in France .
Souness , like Gerard and Thompson are the only ones worth listening to . Earings and cropped tinted hair doesn’t do it for me .
Leicester 1 – 3 West Ham United ,, plus survival ..
You have just made me chuckle.