Tough talk Mr Moyes but where are your options
Difficult to know what goes on inside Carroll’s head.
Perhaps the most interesting comment made by David Moyes after the latest West Ham drubbing was that some players with big reputations disappointed him.
Slaven Bilic had a reputation for honesty but usually it led nowhere with his inevitable conclusion being that the buck stopped with him.
Not so with Moyes and he had no trouble in attributing responsibility where it belonged and drawing attention to a couple of players in particular – senior ones at that!
Of the second goal he said: “I think Zabaleta went in for a cross and before we knew it, they were running at us.”
And he added that Andy Carroll’s behaviour during the game had clearly worried him saying: “I wasn’t sure if Andy was going to get himself sent off so I told him at half time I was going to take him off after 10 or 15 minutes.”
He appeared to be discovering what us long suffering fans have known for a long time – that Mr C can be the worst possible liability when the red mist comes down.
Carroll – so soon back after suspension – drew blood from a Watford player when again leading with his elbow early on and was then booked after clipping Richarlison.
Quite what goes on inside Carroll’s head at times is not a productive question but it’s certainly not a space many would want to share.
It all led Moyes to comment: “I think there were some players with big reputations that disappointed me a little bit, I thought they will show me more and why they play in the team regularly.
Today was the first time I had a chance to see them play and I think they need to show me if that’s the reputation you have, show me why you have got it.”
Tough talk but where are the options – the squad is remarkably light on top players despite all we have hyped ourselves into believing.
Antonio is around 60-40 for the Leicester City match whilst Hernandez is out for another two minimum, leaving us to consider the merits of Sakho and Martinez.
Sam Byram is not yet available to compete for the right back spot where just maybe, given his comments, Moyes may see a problem.
Elsewhere Obiang had a ‘mare, Noble was, well Noble, Cresswell failed to pull any trees up and Ogbonna and Reid were no better than okay.
Kouyate blew a couple of fine chances whilst Lanzini was less creative than we would like him to be while Carroll simply ran about to little effect.
It’s fine for Moyes to explain he wants the players to show him why they are regulars but the sad truth is becoming all too apparent – they aren’t very good but are the best we have.
Add to all of this is the anti board movement and you have a toxic atmosphere home and away… a set of symptoms which contain all the hallmarks of relegation.
Right now it’s difficult for the average fan to have any realistic answers. We have to hope and believe that the new manager can start producing some hefty bunnies from the hat.
COYI