David Moyes must heed sage advice from Rio Ferdinand on dealing with skilful stars if he is to unlock West Ham’s potential.
West Ham have been struggling to score goals this season and are lacking an X factor to their play, especially when they’ve been without new record signing Lucas Paqueta.
There has been little excitement for Hammers supporters in the Premier League so far this season after an unforgettable couple of years.
Hopes were high following a big £170m spend in the summer.
But after the defeat to Man United at the weekend Moyes was criticised for his style by many fans and pundits.
Gary Neville effectively told Moyes he must get with the times in his approach and team selection.
And Louis Saha feels Moyes does not put enough creative players in the team, saying Said Benrahma was the only one capable of something special at Old Trafford.
For the majority of his time at West Ham, Benrahma has looked like a shadow of the player who thrilled fans with his skills and brilliant goals with Brentford.
West Ham fans see it in glimpses when the Algerian is given game time.
Many West Ham fans argue that is of Moyes’ making. Wanting your players to work hard for the team is one thing.
But many feel the more creative types have their wings clipped under Moyes because they are more worried about giving the ball away and facing the wrath of the Scot.
Now West Ham have Brazil international star Paqueta, a player who – like Benrahma – plays on the edge and comes alive when he has the freedom to express himself and try things.
Paqueta has already showed he is also willing to graft for the team. Some fear that in time he too will be scared off trying anything audacious working under Moyes.
Maxwel Cornet is another who falls into that bracket and fans will hope he is allowed to express himself when he eventually works his way back into the side.
Last week saw Man United star Antony lambasted for doing a 720 degree spin with the ball before playing a wayward pass.
David Moyes must heed sage Rio Ferdinand advice on dealing with skilful stars if he is to unlock West Ham’s potential
He was criticised in some quarters and by his own manager who demanded that skills must be used in a functional way during games.
That raised the issue of a lack of skills being showcased by players in the modern game compared to past eras when being discussed by former Hammer Rio Ferdinand on his Vibe with Five YouTube show.
And Moyes must heed some sage Ferdinand advice on dealing with skilful stars if he is to unlock West Ham’s potential.
Ferdinand says flair players must not be playing with fear of being chastised by managers if they give the ball away.
“I want to see skills,” West Ham academy graduate Ferdinand said on Vibe with Five.
“I wish they could film me in the studio or at home because I am a lunatic when it comes to skills or a bit of showboating or whatever. But you want to see an end product… there’s got to be a purpose behind why you’re doing it, I understand that…
“Ronaldinho was doing it – the best players of that generation were the ones that smiled and were doing mad skills.
“It’s like England we’re all sitting here saying ‘please let them play with the handbrake off’ they’re probably sitting there saying ‘I’d love to be able to have the licence to do something like that in an England shirt’…
“I’ll give you an example I never see (Roy Keane) shout at Cristiano (Ronaldo) for doing a bit of skill and it not coming off…
“The money you spend on a player in the final third is to take risks. But if you beat someone down for taking a risk at that point if it didn’t come off, he ain’t going to do it again because he’s scared of the backlash. So you’ve got to embrace it.”
Rio makes some salient points that will chime with many West Ham fans.
It may chime with the likes of Benrahma too. Last year the Hammers playmaker said he feels at his best when he is ‘off the leash’.
Firstly Moyes must find a structure which gets more creative players in the West Ham side. And those players must feel free to express themselves. That is the key for West Ham to continue to progress and evolve, especially since they have become a side the opposition defend deep against due to their recent success.
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