West Ham are getting worse but our regression can be traced back to just after our triumphant Europa Conference League victory in Prague.
Whilst the team started the 2023/24 season in decent form, cracks in David Moyes’ ageing side soon began to emerge. A lack of reinvestment over the summer, largely due to the club stockpiling funds for a new regime under a director of football, had come at a heavy cost.
As the season progressed, West Ham’s performances deteriorated, culminating in the team conceding a record number of goals in our Premier League history. A top source told Claret & Hugh last night, “We started letting in too many goals during Moyes’ last six months,” and the statistics back up that claim.
West Ham suffered numerous heavy defeats last season, a fact often overlooked when mainstream media evaluate Moyes’ tenure at the London Stadium. Time and again, the Hammers shipped goals while Moyes stood on the touchline, arms folded, seemingly unwilling to act. The 5-2 drubbing by Crystal Palace was particularly galling, but it wasn’t the only low point as Fulham, Arsenal & Liverpool boosted their goal difference against us.
This season, despite significant investment in the defence—£40m on Max Kilman, £35m on Jean-Clair Todibo, and £18m on Aaron Wan-Bissaka—the problems persist. Fans might have expected improvement after spending £93m, but the reality is far bleaker.
Last season, West Ham conceded a record 74 Premier League goals. Yet, after just 20 games this campaign, we have already let in 39. If this trend continues, the Hammers are on course to concede 78 goals by season’s end—an even worse tally than the previous record.
The most concerning aspect? There’s no evidence to suggest that anything is improving. The defensive frailties remain, and time is running out for the team to reverse their fortunes
Why did we have to bring in a new defence though? Because the previous defenders stopped playing in their last six months under Moyes. Aguerd and Kehrer wanted to move on while their stock was high having won a trophy. Oggy was being retired. How was that situation allowed to develop.
There were two dreadful seasons at the end of Moyes. And the one before we got good results playing dreadful football. So it didn’t start after the Europa League win… the Europa league was the only good thing in a very bad season 2022/3.
Things are not great but there was a lot of bad beforehand.
The problem is, no matter how much the club throws at the back 4 (and I actually think our starting 4 is pretty good), you need a decent shield in front with pace to press and stop attacks before they begin. Until the club address that we won’t stop shipping goals.
Spot on. Defending is done as a unit and as soon as one part of that unit fails(the midfield) it all fails. An example is kudus who doesn’t track back and left Coufal out to dry on Saturday as he has done with Emerson on occasion. As you say, we need that shield in front of the back four. It’s easy to blame it on the defenders but we have a fairly solid back four. Although Dinos gives me the jitters sometimes with his needless errors.
Did I read that he has a worse record than Grant? Needs to go.
Statistics like these don’t really matter. We won’t be relegated this season. Nothing like the lacklustre days under Avram Grant. Those were soul destroying times. Times of hopelessness.
Just watched Man U give everything against Liverpool and they are streets ahead of us, Ipswich doing the same at Fulham, we have no fight or pride. We need a team of hard workers working for each other like the rest of the teams in the prem do. For effort and performance we deserve to ho down.
“Yet, after just 20 games this campaign, we have already let in 39. If this trend continues, the Hammers are on course to concede 78 goals by season’s end—an even worse tally than the previous record.”
No. 39/20= 1.95. 1.95×38= 74.1.
You can argue the .1 is higher than 74 but it sure isn’t 78.
You can just say we’re doing worse because our “Spanish tactician” (seriously, why is that a relatively common description of Loopoo..?) and his team selections invariably have at least player out of position and he seems to be telling them to stand off on top of that but if you’re trying to claim it based on facts then actually use facts.
Honestly wouldn’t be surprised if we do concede more this year but as we are, we’re basically on course to match last year’s outstanding achievement…
Just that stat should be enough…no prem side should be this easy to play through..especially one that gas spent 160 million….I can not forvthe life of me believe he is still manager….DONT GO the games…if the attendance drops dramatically then that would work ….but we all know it won’t happen…hopefully someone will organise a peaceful protest again…..clutching at straws but I can’t watch them anymore until something changes….so so disheartening and sad …
Last season Zouma was becoming progressively more crocked and Aguerd was more and more not interested, we had centre backs issues. Plus there was poor investment in the team overall which is Moyes weak point caused the issues.
We spent a fortune in the window on players who individually look to be better than our team performances, this season we have coaching / tactical nous issues.
If Moyes had accepted being a coach and leaving player dealings to Steidten then I really don’t think we’d have serious problems. I think Moyes would get far more out of our current squad than Lopetegui does.
Moyes issue was poor recruitment but when he had a good squad they were drilled well. Lopetegui’s issue is that he doesn’t look to be up to the standard of other managers.
39 goals divided by 20 games x 38 games = 74 goals again, not 78, so equally as **** as last season not worse.
Actually it’s getting better! Moyes won four Premier League games in four and half months end of last season, whereas J-Lo has won six games in four and a half months so far this season. Things are looking up!
“Started 2023/24 in decent form” is something of an understatement. We were 6th with a record premier league points total to that point. We were also in the last 16 of the Europa League. As I have said before, it was the new contract offer that caused our second half season slump. Even then we finished 9th just slightly above average fir West Ham.
We are the second worst team in the league behond Southampton….
We are just sh#t end off……
Rotten to the core with Sullivan running it…
Sh#t show
I actually think it could be worse than 78, we have been getting away with it due to poor finishing from our opponents, Lopetegui seems defensively clueless a bit like Postecoglou yet without the ability to score 3 or more a game through super aggressive attacking and players that can move the ball quickly and accurately to create chances.
I am not sure under Moyes how often I said the same thing, we were relying on moments in games and had the quality to deliver, where most of the teams playing against us had far more moments than us and were controlling the game or had the better technical ability to control it better than we did, it’s like playing a fruit machine, you might win the jackpot every now and again but play consistently like that and you will lose the only question is how much. We had a couple of jackpot seasons but eventually it was inevitable our luck would run out.
Time for a new manager that can use the squad to create more moments in games than our opponents and change the mood around the club COYI !!!
Much as I do like the new manager at this moment in time he is two points better of against the teams we have played this season with adjustments for teams coming up and being relegated. Moyes team scored four more goals but conceded 2 more. So to anybody wanting Moyes back no thanks. Maybe this manager may decide that to keep his job he needs the to put out a strong fa cup team instead of Moyes annoying habi of leaked teams except in a third rate European completion. Having been to two fa cup wins and one league cup draw at Wembley against Liverpool and the defeat against Andalect I know it’s a great feeling when you get the win so hopefully if he stays he will go for it. We do need Ward Prowse back as he will be fresh after little game time. If he doesn’t stay please not Moyes again ever.
Did you mean to say as much as i DON’T like the new manager?
Yes, you don’t need to be Einstein to notice this.
I actually think we are the second worst team in Prem’ now, after Southampton.
Ipswich and Wolves starting to pick points up now, and Leicester while overall having inferior squad ( just) at least they play with energy and tempo.
Shocking, to be honest…..