If you’re a West Ham United fan who is David Moyes ‘in’ then ask yourself the big Eddie Howe Newcastle question.
There was a time in the not too distant past when it was Newcastle boss Howe who was dividing opinion among West Ham fans.
With Manuel Pellegrini nearing the West Ham exit door in December 2019, reports were circulating that the Hammers fancied Howe, who was in turn ‘very keen’ on taking charge at the London Stadium (Express, Football.London).
But West Ham fans were divided. Some felt the job would be too big for him after his stint at Burnley was deemed a failure.
Others liked the idea of having a young, modern, progressive coach with a clear attacking football philosophy and style.
West Ham did eventually sack Pellegrini later that month after a home defeat to Leicester. But they elected to bring back Moyes, Howe eventually ended up at Newcastle and the rest – as they say – is history.
Moyes is currently trying to avoid becoming history at West Ham after overseeing a woeful Premier League campaign so far compared to the last two seasons.
They are seasons in which the Scot has been making history with the Hammers. In 2020-21 Moyes’ West Ham recorded their highest ever Premier League points total of 65, missing out on a Champions League spot by a solitary win and finishing sixth.
Last term saw a seventh place finish which secured European qualification – and indeed now last 16 European knockout football – in consecutive seasons for the first time in the club’s existence.
But now Moyes is a man very much under pressure, he is the man dividing West Ham fans and Howe at Newcastle is being hailed from all quarters.
Understandably so on both fronts. Moyes is overseeing a poor Premier League campaign having spent a whopping £170m on eight new players in the summer. The Hammers are two places and one point above the bottom three and have scored just 12 goals all season – the joint second worst in the top flight.
Newcastle meanwhile are flying in third and are threatening to not only replace West Ham in the top six shake up, but take that extra step which the Hammers and Moyes couldn’t manage.
It has been a whirlwind turnaround for Newcastle under Howe, with sound recruitment and excellent coaching of existing under-performing stars at the heart of it.
Many West Ham fans have grown tired of Moyes’ approach, which is risk averse in the extreme at times.
The Hammers malaise is not new this season either. Moyes has overseen just 13 Premier League wins in West Ham’s last 42 games.
If Newcastle are on the up under Howe then West Ham are certainly on the slide under Moyes. Although it is unfair not to factor in Europe.
Competing on both fronts has always been difficult for any club and West Ham are no different.
You can bet your bottom dollar had European results also been poor they would be added into the equation by those calling for the manager to be sacked. So it is only fair that the excellent European form – albeit against vastly inferior opposition this season – is in the conversation.
However, once questions start to be asked over a manager’s future, the media vultures start circling and the fans begin to turn amid poor performances and results, it usually only ends one way.
Brendan Rodgers at Leicester is a shining and rare example of how quickly things can change for the better, though.
With West Ham’s owners publicly backing their manager, there will be no wielding of the axe at the London Stadium over the six-week World Cup break.
That in itself is driving fierce debate among Hammers fans. A growing section of them want Moyes out and feel a more modern manager is needed to transform the way West Ham play and get the best out of what is an impressive squad – on paper at least. Those supporters feel now would be the ideal time to make such a change.
Others feel Moyes deserves more time given the marvellous job he has done in east London. And – for now at least – the owners clearly agree.
At West Ham right now you are either ‘Moyes in’ or ‘Moyes out’ it seems. It is difficult for many fans who are somewhere in between to rationalise.
But if you’re a West Ham fan who is Moyes ‘in’ then ask yourself the big Howe Newcastle question.
That being: How would this current West Ham team and squad do with the Newcastle manager in charge?
Looking at what Howe has done at St James’s Park with the likes of Joelinton, Miguel Almiron, Allan Saint Maximin, Callum Wilson and a host of others it does make you wonder.
Moyes is calling for time and patience, which he has undoubtedly earned. But Howe has managed to get players he inherited playing some of the best football of their careers while seamlessly integrating a host of new big money star signings too.
Imagine Howe getting hold of Said Benrahma, Lucas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca. Even Tomas Soucek – based on Joelinton’s remarkable rise – could be a changed man. Throw Maxwel Cornet into the mix, Pablo Fornals as well.
We know Howe likes and wants swashbuckling young right-back Harrison Ashby at West Ham which tells you everything about how he likes his fullbacks to bomb on with pace.
It is all hypothetical of course, Howe looks certain to be at Newcastle for the long term.
But West Ham fans are looking on enviously at how the Magpies are playing and scoring freely and wondering why that can’t be them.
If West Ham are sticking by Moyes and aren’t going to go looking for a more progressive, attack-minded coach then perhaps the Scot is simply going to have to completely change his thinking and methods if he is to turn things around?
And who better to look at than Howe and Newcastle for inspiration on how West Ham should be approaching games in a more positive way.
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