Shutout, Boo'd & Despondent: It's Time to Act for West Ham
There were only five seconds left on the clock in a contest that would end in defeat, but Declan Rice’s reaction to an incomplete pass on the halfway line spoke a thousand words about the crater that the Hammers have fallen into on the eve of the World Cup.
He simply looked to the turf and shook his head in disappointment because it was another one of those days for his team. Rice, to his credit, performed as he always does when dressed in claret and blue.
He was the best player on the pitch for West Ham, but his efforts weren’t enough versus Leicester City – who make their journey back to the East Midlands with a 2-0 win in the bank.
But where did it all unravel for last season’s Europa League semi-finalists?
David Moyes committed the first mistake of the afternoon in advance of kick-off. He named an identical squad to the one that Crystal Palace overcame last time out, with Pablo Fornals unable to break into the team despite a run of improved form.
James Maddison, who beat out competition from Jarrod Bowen for a spot at the World Cup, broke the deadlock soon after kick-off with a simple finish at the far post. There were several errors on the play, not limited to poor marking and a botched clearance.
Then, it was Craig Dawson’s turn to commit a faux pas. In a last-ditch attempt to snatch possession, the 32-year-old dived for the ball at Patson Daka’s feet but only connected with his ankle. Łukasz Fabiański saved the resultant spot-kick to spare his defender’s blushes.
After the interval, the home side huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow the house down. Instead, they were exposed on the counterattack by Harvey Barnes – who ended the match as a contest with a fine finish with 12 minutes left to play.
In fairness to Moyes, Leicester’s second strike of the afternoon supports his view that West Ham shouldn’t press in the attacking half. They were torn to shreds when they tried to nick the ball in the attacking half, and it cost them any hopes of a late comeback.
Rice’s performance aside, there was little to cheer about for West Ham.
Lucas Paquatá left the field frustrated and on a yellow card for his troubles. Gianluca Scamacca was rarely involved. Jarrod Bowen was vanilla. Tomáš Souček continued his poor form.
West Ham also lost the xG battle – which is especially problematic as they dominated possession, outshot the visitors 2:1, and won the corner battle by a margin of seven to five.
“Disappointed would be the right word but [we were] much improved compared to last week,” Moyes told reporters in Stratford. “We couldn't turn the good periods into goals. I thought it was a good performance…
“I thought the lads ran a thousand miles today. They are [feeling] low because they are desperate to win and aren’t used to his. We are all just taking stock of it at the minute.”
West Ham have a month to prepare for their next match, but have several important questions to answer before then.
Firstly, the board must decide if they want to stick with Moyes. If they sack him now, they will have time to recruit a replacement and a chance to stop the rot. It could also be the kindest option for a manger who has given his all and created memories along the way.
Moyes has coached the club to some of the best moments in its recent history and still has the respect of the fanbase. However, he will face revolt – from supporters and possibly his squad – if he fails to turn the boat around. To date, he hasn’t shown that he knows how to extract the best performances from West Ham’s marquee summer arrivals. His seat is hot for a reason.
When asked about his relationship with the board, Moyes said: “I'm really grateful for our club and the support they have given me. I don't think I’ve done bad for them either. Brendan [Rodgers] has been there as well and he knows how it works. We have done a lot of good things we just can't find a way of scoring at the moment.”
It would be harsh of West Ham to sack their coach. But it would also be a sign of the times.
The Hammers cannot afford to return to the Championship, nor waste the time they have left with Rice in a battle for survival. Their window to win – or at least qualify for Europe – is now and will expire once their 23-year-old captain shuffles on to pastures new.
So, what next for the club from the Olympic Park? They’re just one point above the drop zone and have only taken three points from the last 15 available. They’re into the last-sixteen of the Europa Conference League, but out of the Carabao Cup.
David Gold, David Sullivan, and Karen Brady have decisions to make. As does Daniel Křetínský in Prague. It’s time for West Ham to act, one way or the other.
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