By Gonzo
The picture itself speaks a thousand words. Taken by a West Ham fan during the game against Aston Villa, it shows a dejected Gianluca Scamacca slumped by the advertising hoardings.
In the minutes prior to the picture being taken, manager David Moyes had instructed our £35m summer signing to warm up and ready himself for battle.
Danny Ings had been ineffective during the game with only 10 touches of the ball. Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen on the other hand were arguably the best players on the pitch, so it made sense to introduce another player into the attack.
My own personal choice would have been to withdraw the anonymous Tomas Soucek as well as Ings, and play with Scamacca and Maxwel Cornet up front to get the win.
David Moyes thought differently though, he withdrew Danny Ings and replaced him with Cornet. If any further evidence was required that the Italian front man had no future at West Ham it was at that moment.
The substitution demonstrated that Ings is Moyes first choice striker and in the event of Michail Antonio being injured, Cornet will be back-up.
Scamacca looks to be crestfallen. A man completely aware that he’s an unwanted 4th choice striker for a struggling club. A £35m purchase who can’t find a way into a goal-shy relegation team.
He’s not the only person at the club frustrated and demotivated by the safety first approach from the Hammers manager, who decided to have another dig at the fan-base in his post match interview.
But I feel sorry for Scamacca. Much like Sebatien Haller he is completely unsuited to David Moyes tactics. Unfortunately it seems that the very chap who sanctioned the transfer for the player has how come to realise the same thing.
The best striker at the club by a country mile. Yet another example of Moyes inability to coach and develop players. He has cost the club a fortune by his mid management of players. Scamacca we trust in Moyes we have no trust, Scamacca is not the problem, the problem is Moyes. We need to start backing the players and stop backing Moyes. It is the players who will get us out of this mess but the rear is Moyes wont give them the chance
“My own personal choice would have been to withdraw the anonymous Tomas Soucek as well as Ings, and play with Scamacca and Maxwel Cornet up front to get the win.”
Couldn’t agree more and needing 3 points not 1, I can’t understand why only one person in a packed stadium seems to think differently and unfortunately he’s the one who picks the team.
How often did Mings have the ball at feet and just stand on itl, or win the ball when it became loose? That wouldn’t have happened if we’d had two up front and Mings had to actually mark someone. It’s so negative it’s soul destroying to watch. Bah! Step up Moyes and be braver, how can we expect the lads to be brave if the manager isn’t?
You said it Gonzo – what our section were screaming – sub Soucek, two strikers! Tyrone Mings never stopped strolling. Gutless Moyes no courage to win. He just doesn’t get strikers. We are so safety minded we don’t play out from the back properly either. We receive the ball stood still, then play the ball stood still. No movement, so the man with the ball eliminates himself. The opponents just mark everyone nearby, and we breakdown. No movement, no options, no proper coaching or training moves. Flat. Pathetic. Undeserving. We have learned how to cover, but not how to play. What happened to set pieces? We used to be deadly. Now hopeless. What is happening? Yes I do blame Moyes. Bring in a young coach, no more dinosaurs.
We’re so safe, we find it imperative to go a goal down to wake the team from its slumbers. The team is full of inappropriate signings. When we didn’t tempt Lingard, he decided to bring in Paqueta and try to convert him from a defensive CM to a #10. And he brings in Scamacca who can’t play as a lone striker exactly the same as Haller. Board are just insane to sanction these signings. We can only be saved if the other bottom teams save us and that seems unlikely