Moyes is holding the club back: Guest post by Nick Higgins
I’ve never done this before but as I was reading through my YouTube comments from yesterdays review, a post from Nick stood out. I’ve decided to post it on C&H because Nick’s frustrations are probably mirrored by many.Ā
For many fans, the home game against Burnley was the breaking point, but for me, today’s 4-3 loss against Newcastle was mine.
Today encapsulated everything, not only about why David Moyes has to go but also why the fanbase is right to demand it. This manager is clearly holding our club back, and it can no longer be denied, not even by the mainstream media.
At the outset, Moyes set up the team exactly how we want to see them play and how we know they can play. The result of that approach was a 3-1 lead, and we looked good, very good. Then Moyes changed the tactics to what he prefers, and we ended up losing 4-3. Could this be a coincidence? No, it’s simply happened too many times to be dismissed as one.
So called experts
So-called ‘experts’ may say, “Who are we to complain? We are just ‘fans.’ What do we know?” But we watch all the games, and we see it with our own eyes. We had Newcastle on the ropes at 3-1. Okay, we weren’t in total control, and yes, Newcastle were still a threat, but so were we. We had the players and tactics to trouble them. We had all that, and then Moyes changed it. He substituted Michail Antonio off and put Kalvin Phillips on, which was negative, but more importantly, there was a tactical shift. The change made us passive, sit back, low block, defend, and protect what we hadāall with 30 minutes left in the game. The outcome was inevitable from that point on. It’s like rereading the same book or watching the same film; you know the ending.
We know it because, apart from Luton, Burnley, and Sheffield United, West Ham have conceded the most goals in the Premier League. We know it because we can’t defend when forced to play the passive low block. We can’t play against a team with momentum and a head of steamāa momentum that Moyes’ tactics give the opposition. Any opposition.
Unforgivable cowardice
The act Moyes committed today was cowardice, capitulation, fear, and gutlessness of the highest order. He insulted both his players and the fans. He committed football’s version of high treasonāan act that is simply unacceptable and unforgivable. From his signing and playing of Phillips (which I believe the club was not in favour of) to his shameful and negligent tactical approach, he has proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that he is a burden dragging this club down.
To sit in a press conference and say that even at 1-3 “we were not in control of the game” is breathtakingly ignorant beyond belief. Even if we accept that we weren’t (when we clearly were), it’s his job to put us in control. If his tactical change was designed to put us in control, then its abject failure is his alone, and this cannot be hidden from.
He also said, “we collapsed.” No. WE didn’t. YOU did. Your changes alone led to that collapse, and the rest of us got dragged down with it. He said we did “some good things and some bad things today.” ALL the good things came from the team playing how WE want them to play, and all the bad things came about AFTER you reverted back to your fear tactics.
I implore you all to forget about the VAR controversy today. To give too much credence to that is to distract away from the vile culpability that solely rests with Moyes. The media will give him that screen to hide behind, but as fans, we cannot do the same.
When will Sullivan have enough?
Moyes has been exposed today for the timid coward that he is. The emperor is naked, and we can ALL see it. Will Sullivan see it? I doubt it. It’s the blind leading the blind. Two incompetent peas in a pod. Two chancers whose days would, in an ideal world, be numbered. Alas, football isn’t an ideal world. It’s a world of narrative, deflection, sleight of hand, misdirection, and closed ranks.
Today may have been the day that enough became enough, the line in the sand. Even if it is, it won’t matter. Not in the grand scheme of things because the narrative will kick into overdrive, and our voices and thoughts will be drowned out. The machine driven by mainstream media and the “old guard” club will see to it that we are labelled as moaners, deluded, and neurotic simpletons who cannot possibly understand the complexities of the beautiful game. How could simple working-class folk possibly be expected to understand the nuance of the beautiful game?
So the deception rolls on. We do see, though. We do understand. We are not fools. Today, David Moyes, you committed the most unforgivable act in football. You ran away and gave up. For that, you should hang your head in shame. Shame on you, sir. Shame on you.
A massive thank you to Nick for writing such a detailed reply. If you’d like to have your say and/or perhaps hold a different view to Nick. Either leave a comment below or contact Claret & Hugh at claretandhugh66@gmail.com
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Hey Nick.
This is post from someone who had trouble logging in
I think that the consensus is that it is time to move on from Moyes – this season feels a bit like the final season of BFS – where a good start was frittered away.
However I think that the elephant in the room is the track record of the Board in appointing managers
Avram Grant – 1 season
BFS – 4 seasons
Slaven Bilic – 2.5 seasons
Moyes mark 1 – 0.5 seasons
Pellegrini – 1.5 seasons
Moyes mark 2 – 4.5 seasons
So the longest lasting managers under our current owners are the two “pragmatic” (aka defensive) managers BFS and Moyes.
I think that the only manager who really played exciting football was Slaven Bilic in his first season – captured in the 3-2 win over Man U in the farewell at Upton Park.
We can also add that when at Birmingham our owners appointed Steve Bruce
Some readers have voted for Marco Silva – that’s what Everton also thought but it didn’t turn out very well for them. One (valid) criticism of Moyes is the oldest squad in the Premier league – Fulham come a close second.
Being a progressive attacking manager is not easy – it seems that maybe de Zerbi is now being found out
Perhaps Steidten will help us get what we are looking for
COYI – Zahama
You’re completely right, Moyes must go asap!
Nick represents most of us Hammers fans, I would imagine. And Moyes will not admit it was his decision to take Antonio off and put Phillips on which was the turning point, or rather the downturn, of the game for West Ham. In interviews he deflects the blame and just rattles on with the same old garbage. He’s like a broken record. Who Dares Wins, Mr Moyes!
No European football next season and a mid table finish beckons if Moyes stays.
The board needs to decide if thatās what they want or get rid
Just can’t believe the Silence from the board once more! Yesterday was completely embarrassing, and only Mr Grey Moyes, to blame, how much longer can this continue?
100% right, Nick!
Letās hope those blinkered fans can start to see it ā¦at last.
He is a stubborn, one-tactic, manager who has more than reached the top of his capabilities.
Thank you & go!!! ā