Hammers boss David Moyes faces a seriously pressing issue – quite literally – ahead of West Ham United’s restart after a shocking drop off.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock this season you will know Moyes is a man under pressure at West Ham.
The Hammers are just one point above the relegation zone approaching the halfway stage of the season.
And after spending £170m on eight signings during the summer questions are rightly being asked.
West Ham have scored a miserable 12 goals so far this season, the joint second worst in the top flight.
But it is the lethargic nature of the side’s performances – particularly in the first halves of matches – that is just as concerning.
There has been a malaise about this West Ham side stretching back a full year. That has showed in the club’s Premier League results with just 13 wins from their last 42 games – relegation form.
Moyes has justifiably received backing from West Ham’s owners as calls grew for the Scot to be axed before – and during – the World Cup break.
Word is West Ham must take six points from their next four matches to save the manager’s job.
With league leaders Arsenal up next on Boxing Day that is no easy task.
The manager, his staff and players have had time to reflect and refresh over the last month.
Now Moyes faces a seriously pressing issue ahead of the West Ham restart after a shocking drop off.
Quite literally too.
One of the fundamentals behind West Ham’s rapid progress under Moyes over the previous two and a half seasons has been their workrate.
He famously gave West Ham’s under-performing squad a very simple message when he returned to the London Stadium with the club in relegation trouble almost three years ago: “If you don’t run, you won’t play.”
That was the cornerstone to everything good about West Ham in the two years that followed.
The Hammers resembled Moyes’ old Everton sides where the opposition knew they were in for a tough game every single week.
West Ham would press teams all over the pitch and run themselves into the ground.
Now a new graphic has revealed just how far the Hammers have fallen from those high standards.
A high pressing graphic comparing each Premier League club’s pressing statistics this season to those of the previous campaign will leave West Ham fans angry if not surprised.
In terms of defensive line height and pressing intensity it is no surprise to see the league’s top two sides Arsenal and Man City – who are two of the youngest teams in the division – way out in front.
West Ham, officially the oldest squad in the Premier League, are not only bottom but miles adrift of every other club.
A glance at the graphic is shocking.
But it merely shows what West Ham supporters have been seeing with their own eyes.
Moyes must address his most pressing issue in the second half of the campaign.
The Hammers have been far too passive for far too long now and it has showed in their results.
Moyes must get his players working harder, pressing higher and going for the opposition from the off.
That is an archaic philosophy that is straight out of the Tony Pulis and Sam Allardyce playbook.
Whether it is complacency or a deliberate change in style only Moyes and his players know.
But the fact is Moyes must get this team working again and fast or he may find himself not working very soon indeed.
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