David Moyes has pinpointed a major Hammers problem, insisting that the team simply have to get better at seeing games out.
The Irons fell to a heartbreaking defeat to Manchester United on Saturday, with Marcus Rashford scoring his winner in the 93rd minute.
It has been an issue for West Ham throughout the season, and have routinely conceded goals when ahead.
It happened against Crystal Palace too, at Selhurst Park, when the Irons raced into a 3-0 lead but conceded twice before eventually begging for the final whistle.
In the last six games the Hammers have played, Moyes’ men have kept just one clean sheet, and that came against Norwich City, who were bottom when the two sides played.
And Moyes believes that it has to change if the Hammers are going to force their way into the top four.
Speaking after the United game, as per the club’s official website, he said: “You have to know how to see games out.
“Let’s be fair, people who watch West Ham regularly will see that we’ve had games where it has been a problem.
“We’ve been winning games 3-0 and it’s ended up 3-2, or had games like that, so it’s something that we need to do much better.”
Yes it has been a recurring problem but first look at your subs DM!! Regularly Masuaku, today Fredericks – defenders who don’t defend they just want to bomb on leaving gaps. The defensive shape disappears just when we need it most. Close it down, sub on young fit players with composure and a simple instruction. Forward players chase and hustle, leave Yarmo on the bench too!
To be fair we looked the most likely to score at the end and the lads were going for the win. Had we scored and won it no one would be complaining.
That’s all very well but the major problem we have is up front. If it wasn’t bad enough that we only have 1 forward, that 1 forward’s form has plunged into the abyss. Antonio doesn’t chase down the defence half as much as he should, leaving it to the AM. He barely jumps for the nearly non-stop high balls coming his way either, 99% of which come from Dawson.
Is it me or does he not seem that interested in some games?
We really need to get someone in, not to just give him competition, but to replace him in the team for now. Maybe he’s knackered and needs a rest?
I’m surprised he’s played so many matches TBH with his injury record.
To be fair they threw how many forward players towards the end and we couldn’t cope. We subbed Coufal for Fredericks. It’s hard to see if any of our other subs would’ve made a difference. We need players THIS window not in summer.
A smarter move might have been to sub Fornals and Coufal for Fredericks and Johnson- that’s if he had to sub Coufal.
It’s quite easy to see that it’s Moyes and his diabolical substitutions or lack of them that is the issue here.
Time and time again they are dreadful. The over use of the inept duo Masuaku and Yarmolenko is evident then yesterday the sub of Fredericks another inept individual. Fredericks had one thing to do and that was to contain the threat down the right. This he didn’t do. Watch his position and then dreadful header straight to Martial.
Moyes doesn’t use his full subs at all. Didn’t take the opportunity during injury Time to bring on a sub and waste vital seconds. Blatant abysmal management. That’s his job.
I agree with you completely!
Every time when he brings on Masuaku, I expect us to concede a goal, he can’t defend at all. I’d like David to explain his thinking about the subs because this is happening too often. Neither Masuaku or the wage thief Yarmalenko have anything to contribute and yesterday what on earth had Vlad done that made Moyes replace him with Fredericks another headless chicken!
But my real point is Moyes never uses the talent we have in the U23’s like Biesla does and we’re top of the U23’s league playing brilliant football. He is so cautious he ends up confusing himself. Take the Palace game , 3-0 up and brings on the Muppets, concede 2 then everyone panics. He doesn’t give himself the choice of a youngster as he doesn’t trust them but ends up getting a worse result. Virtually every poor result is down to this. Not trusting a U23’s even in their best season ever is crazy . If any other Pl team had that team they would have utilized them by now integrating throughout the campaign. Moyes misses another opportunity
Spot on Boleyn, DM is known for his limited use of subs… it was soo close to a positive outcome though….
IMHO it would have been an opportunity to take Lanzini off around the 70/80 minutes, and let Alex Kral run around and disrupt the midfield and use another sub in extra time, like Diop for Fornals ??
Its the lack of squad depth that caused us issues at the end of last season and it will be the major factor in sliding down the table now.
I dont know if its the manager, the board or a lack of decent players available but we really must try to bring in or through players now.
Fredericks for Coufal made sense if it was to try and combat Rashford et al when they came on, but all Rashford had to do was swap sides as he did to score so was in all actuality pointless.
when other teams can bring on 1 or 2 to play upfront & change a game like y/day & we have nothing it’s getting boring with Mr Moyes now we needed some signings in beginning of January to get them settled in we was 4th in the table now others around us have games in hand we will slide to probably 7th end of season. we need players now to push for the FA Cup & Europa League not in the summer it will be to late COYI
I agree, if he brings in 1 or 2 on or around deadline day like in the summer then that’s criminal. We would have lost out using him/them in all these games in January. Surely it’s his job to know what people he would like in and give them a list of names leading UP TO January so we can utilize them during the month. It will be too late now.
I don’t quite understand all the talk about West Ham in the top 4.
Given the lack of spending comparative to clubs around us (Arse, Spuds, ManUre) 7th is about as good as can be expected….