Cowardly Moyes so fortunate!

Cowardly Moyes so fortunate!

by CandH Facebook follower Daniel Hill

Cowardly  David Moyes can count himself fortunate that the majority of fans and pundits were distracted by yet another VAR controversy at the end of the game, having again demonstrated why he is not the man to take our club forward.

Our first half display capitalised on a sluggish Villa side who struggled to deal with the indomitable Coufal time and again marauding down our right flank.

His crossing was superb and, perhaps if he’d not had a sulk over being ignored moments earlier, would have scored his first for the club when the ball broke loose on the edge of the area. His shot was vicious; his follow-up, typical. Bless!

All looked good going into half time, with a refreshing and perfectly reasonable blend of high press, low block and attacking flair, giving Villa a perplexing conundrum to resolve.

But, like all good managers,  Emery did, by making two substitutions at half time in a bid to address the deficiencies in his side.

And it worked, with Coufal quietened and Villa reminded of their capabilities and ambition. As the half wore on, it became increasingly clear that the Hammers had lost their sense of adventure. As we’ve seen so often this season, we shrunk, regressed, and invited a highly capable Villa front line to attack.

It’s standard from a team who, despite possessing a potent attack of our own, decide to allow all the pressure to fall onto our defence and an erratic Alvarez and a clumsy Soucek. Words fail me.

As a side note, someone needs to have a word with Alvarez about his conduct. He picks up too many unnecessary yellows for stupid challenges and petulant reactions. Now he’s out for our next two. It should be docked wages and the naughty step for the young man.

And how does Moyes react to Villa’s changing fortunes? He returns to type; failing to protect our lead by opting to dismantle our front line and defend at all costs. He replaced a revitalised Antonio, who again had been a powerful focal point in an exciting front four, with… Ings? Nope… Mubama then?

Wrong again. With Ben Johnson, a defender, who entered the field with a spray can and promptly added the standard writing on the wall: “Attack & you shall score!”

There was only one outcome and it was duly realised when yet another swift, cutting Villa attack ended in a well worked slick Zaniolo goal. Unlike Ward-Prowse’s later effort, there was no-one available on the penalty spot to block it.

Emery – a coach I admire greatly – made well thought out attacking substitutions and, despite being the AWAY team, throws everyone forward in search of a winner having equalised, pinning us in and empowering his charges to actually play football.

And yes, I know we could’ve won it at the end, but it would’ve been a ‘snatch and grab’, and I’m just not sure that’s the way I want us to win a home game against a team who, on paper, should be our equal. I’m envious of Villa fans.

It yet again highlights what we’re missing. A coach with vision, guile, endeavour and smarts.

And it’s all such a shame. Yet another false dawn. Yet another opportunity for Moyes to show that perhaps he listens. Perhaps he can change, especially off the back of our emphatic midweek win.

But no. Despite having proven against Brentford, in the second half against Burley and against Freiburg that we’re better at attacking than defending, the old leopard shows there is just no changing his spots.

A bit like our lead, Moyes’s decisions today were indefensible and it is an opportunity wasted to prove that our recent progress isn’t a flash in the pan.

Moyesball has its place. He has undoubtedly moved us to a different level and I’ll always be grateful to him for that. But if we want to move on, and not regress, it’s time for change.

Players, 8/10. Moyes (and his clearly cowardly backroom team), 3/10.