David Moyes has used his pre-match presser for the match against AZ Alkmaar to explain his hopes of making history.
And why he is confident the Hammers can finish the season strongly both in domestic and European competition.
The reality is that we are safe in the Premier League apart from a nuclear explosion on goal difference so he is concentrating by and large on Thursday evening in Holland.
It’s a huge game with the Hammers leading 2-1 going into the 90 minutes courtesy of the winner from Mikey Antonio who is in the squad for the match after suffering a dead leg in the first game. Vladi Coufal is also back for a game.
West Ham boss David Moyes is refusing to bold claiming essentially either team can win. But he made it clear that it would be a big step forward for West ham if they make it into a Final.
He said: “It would be us trying to strive to move forward. Getting to a final would be another step forward. Every club needs a final, every club needs European football if they can get it. It’s a thrill that we’re in this situation.
For me and this group of players, it’s a huge game but we have a really difficult opponent. We have to play really well to reach the final. We are going to have to earn it and we know that.
By Hughie Southon
I really hope he does as a reward for 25 years in football and winning nothing..But I then hope he decides to leave. These are a very ordinary team. I had never watched them before the first leg but they have no pace out wide their defense is just ok. If we are at the right performance level tonight we should win even playing with 10 men as I still cannot justify the selection of Soucek in the team. We need a Fornals or Lanzini in there to compliment Rice and Paqueta. The difference to the way the team would play would be incredible.
I think he’d better become one or risk more fan’s backlash and lose his job and everything that goes with it. If we end up Spursy (Cup-less) and survive when we should’ve been qualifying through league position this season will become disastrous. 19 games lost and the season isn’t over.
It wouldn’t surprise me if tonight’s game went to into extra time, or even penalties. It might be that close. AZ shouldn’t be underestimated in their stadium. Moyes will field his predictable best starting XI and hopefully they will be enough. There’s always Kehrer, Ogbonna, Emerson, Lanzini, Fornals, Cornet and Ings as back up.