Nobes: ‘Being in the dug out with boss was fantastic’
He explained that the manager told the squad there will be no excuses for poor performances and that they need to be giving it their all on the pitch – nothing less will do.
Noble made it clear that he’s aware the Hammers can’t win every game they play, but believes the structure Moyes has put in place will definitely give him and the squad a fighting chance to succeed.
He said: “Yes, we’re going to lose games, but as a start for the manager, to come in and get two wins, especially away in a difficult cup tie, the sort of game where we’ve been rolled over in the past, it couldn’t have gone any better.
“The team we put out at Gillingham was the strongest available and for me, it has been a hugely encouraging week. I’m hoping to be available for tonight’s game at Sheffield United and that will be a test of a different sort.
“I thought we deserved to win our home game against them, but it ended in a draw. We’ll be ready tonight and it will be a good challenge for us.
“They are flying high, have a certain way of playing which is serving them well and I think their manager, Chris Wilder, is terrific. He’s honest and his mantra is similar to our gaffer’s — you win your battles and everything else will follow.
“When David Moyes was manager at Everton, they finished consistently in the top seven and when you went there, you knew you were in for a game. They had talented players but would be trying to win battles all over the pitch as well.”
Noble revealed that he’s been dabbling in coaching since suffering a foot injury.
“I had a metatarsal injury so didn’t play, but I was at Priestfield and I can assure you, it was a proper test,” Noble wrote in his regular Evening Standard column.
“The manager asked me to be in the dugout with him and I recall sitting there and thinking, ‘If this was my team, I would be really proud’.
“I was only too willing to give the manager any help I could. He was probably thinking that, after just one game in charge, I knew some of our players better than him, in terms of substitutes Albian Ajeti, Carlos Sanchez and Nathan Holland. Nathan has since gone out on loan to Oxford United which, I am sure, will help his career.
“Being in the dugout was a fantastic experience for me, an invaluable learning curve and really honest of a vastly-experienced manager to say: ‘I could do with your input tonight’. The tactics worked a treat, we managed a clean sheet and scored two goals. It was never going to be pretty, but with those games, you just have to win.
“The fact we defended so resolutely in the first half meant that we could — and did — dominate after half-time. I’ve played in loads of similar games, but never had one where you could just turn up, play pretty football and cruise to victory. It’s just not like that in real life, not on a pitch like Gillingham’s anyway.”