David Moyes has proved West Ham fans were right all along and sent a message of thanks to supporters after the Arsenal heroics.
It is fair to say the relationship between some West Ham fans and David Moyes has been fractured this season.
Supporters have grown tired of Scot’s approach, West Ham’s all too often passive style, and what they see as risk-averse tactics.
Evidence of an increasingly strained relationship between the two parties came last week with a ‘Moyes Out’ banner raised in the away end at Fulham and supporters jeering the manager, who stared them down as he left the pitch.
Hammers fans have been banging the drum for well over a year for the team to get back to playing aggressively and on the front foot.
David Moyes proves West Ham fans were right all along and sends a message of thanks to supporters after Arsenal’s heroics
Yes, West Ham has been built on being organized, miserly, and resilient as much as anything else under Moyes.
And that was on show in the brilliant 2-2 comeback draw against Arsenal.
But Moyes proved West Ham fans were right all along and has sent a message of thanks to supporters after the Arsenal heroics.
There was a noticeable change in tactics and approach against the Gunners.
Before the game many supporters were predicting their side would have an embarrassingly low share of possession and passes – as has been the case more often than not during a Premier League campaign that has never sparked into life.
But it did on Sunday and it is because West Ham was so much more aggressive and willing to go at the league leaders.
West Ham mixed their game up, went more direct when they had to, and played balls in behind and over the top.
The Hammers had become so predictable, attacking down the wings often being their only tactic.
Against Arsenal there was penetration through the center of the park, on both flanks, the full-backs got involved, and the players were really positive and anything but passive.
Moyes finally got back to using the brilliant all-action Michail Antonio like the blunt instrument he is instead of persisting with tactics that require him to be the bona fide top-flight striker he simply is not and never has been.
All the things that the club’s frustrated supporters have long been calling for.
Whether Moyes or the players have finally woken up and smelled the coffee or this was all by design we will find out soon enough.
But what a difference it makes to the mood and the atmosphere. Most supporters would rather see the team have a real go and lose 3-2 than sit back, be passive in the hope of a lucky 1-0 win, and risk getting pumped 3-0.
West Ham finally delivered what the fans have been demanding and the supporters responded.
Credit to Moyes as he recognized the fact too in his post-match comments on the club’s official website.
“We lost two goals in the opening ten minutes, but I actually didn’t think we played that badly and I think that reflected in the supporters – they were great today, they kept with us, never gave up and I think that’s because they saw how the players started,” Moyes said.
The media will inevitably start throwing around the all too-predictable criticisms of West Ham fans for ‘bashing’ Moyes.
They will suggest supporters don’t know what they’re talking about and Moyes was always going to turn things around.
But if anything the fans deserve credit for being the catalysts for change by demanding a different approach.
Now let’s hope the Hammers can continue in this vein for the rest of the season.
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