Cautious Moyes let Alonso off the ropes
Last night at the London Stadium, as West Ham retreated into a defensive low block system while 1-0 ahead and needing another goal, an old fable popped into my head.
The story of the Frog and the Scorpion may not be the first that springs to mind when discussing football; however, last night it felt apt. If you are unaware of the tale, it goes something like this:
A scorpion asks a frog to carry it across a river. The frog hesitates, afraid of being stung, but the scorpion argues that if it did so, they would both drown. Considering this, the frog agrees. But midway across the river, the scorpion does indeed sting the frog, dooming them both.
Moyes had glory within his grasp but reverted to type
With his dying breath, the frog asks the scorpion why he effectively killed them both. The scorpion replied, “I can’t help it, it’s in my nature.”
And that really sums up David Moyes for me; it’s in his nature to be cautious. Despite the evidence of the first half against Leverkusen, with Xabi Alonso’s team on the ropes, he pulled Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus into defensive positions, and the game was lost.
It was the same when West Ham were ahead against Aston Villa and at Newcastle. Moyes’ teams get into a lead, sit back, then the inevitable happens, and it’s so avoidable yet frustrating.
David Moyes isn’t going to change, though… it’s in his nature.
This just not true. The introduction of Frimpong and Boniface forced Kudus and Cresswell to defend. We were forced to retreat. Moyes can be blamed for anyhting but its pretty much accepted that Leverkusen played much better in the second half because their subs were better.
What a load of ********. They made changes at half time and made it a different game. Stop all this anti Moyes ********. We were superb last night. Why don’t you just focus on the positives!!!!!
Spot on – changes – Alonso (Champion winning Manager on for a treble) sees one of his team having an absolute Mare and subs them after 28 minutes – Makes two more changes at half time as West Ham are on top – and further changes in the second half – utilising the FIVE substitutions available –
As opposed to Moyes watching his Team collectively & heroically die for the cause, your 34 year old lone forward being barely able to walk at 65 minutes, your full backs and midfield succumbing to the cliche blowing out of their ar****les at 70 minutes. Surely a European Quarter Final Second Leg It was a do or die moment – Coufal, Soucek, Ward-Prowse & Antonio off, go 3 at the back moving Cresswell over, Johnson, Cornett on as wing backs – Mubama and Ings on up top and Bowen and Kudus tucking into the middle a bit more. No, 84th minute full back and midfielder swap like for like sums up why he has lost more Premier League games than any other Manager and we have only won at home once since 1 January
The reality is that this season we have underperformed. For example:
West Ham 0 – Fulham 2
West Ham 2 – Burnley 2
West Ham 0 – Arsenal 6
West Ham 1 – Bournemouth 1
Fulham 5 – West Ham 0
Brentford 3 – West Ham 2
Apart from the Arsenal game, where we could at least aspire to get a draw, the other games are evidence of poor performance against teams with much smaller budgets. If we had won those games that we should win against weaker teams, we would now be fighting for an European position. We are not asking too much, I think.
Good analogy, Gonzo! I think that’s pretty much spot on.
The boys gave their all in the first half and had Leverkusen on the ropes unfortunately we were unable to take the chances that came our way everyone knew that they would step up their game in the second half and that made things very difficult after all they are a top team with gifted players and a manager that knows how to get through tough games moyes couldn’t have done more to get us over the line it’s just a shame we didn’t go at them in Germany because that’s were the game was lost we have to acknowledge that they haven’t lost a game all season and that shows just how good they are I’m not a big fan of moyes but he can’t be blamed for us only managing to draw against them the referee and his colleagues played a big part in us only managing a draw and going out of the competition