Everything looked very bright for West Ham after 57 minutes against Brighton and Hove Albion yesterday.
They were leading 3-1 after goals from Issa Diop and Robert Snodgrass (two).
The Hammers embarked on a self-inflicted collapse, however, and ended up drawing the game 3-3.
And in our view, there is one person who should bear the brunt of the criticism – David Moyes.
The 56-year-old Scot took over from Manuel Pellegrini at the end of December, and he said all the right things in his press conferences, as he did when he took over West Ham back in 2017.
The problem is, it’s easy to say the right things, but harder to actually do them.
And Moyes has already proven that he cannot cut it anymore at the very highest level. His team selection is consistently questionable, whilst his decision to persist with Manuel Lanzini, despite the Argentine’s horrendous form, has been mind-boggling.
The Scot’s tactics are outdated and the football that he implements is slow, boring and laboured.
But with all of that in mind, there was once decision that he made against Brighton that topped the lot.
In fact, it was unforgivable.
Shocking decision
Moyes decided to take off West Ham’s best player – Michail Antonio, in the 74th minute, bringing on Arthur Masuaku in his place. He reverted to a back five, and Brighton were instantly handed the initiative.
If the Scot was insistent on bringing Antonio off, why not bring on Pablo Fornals in his place and retain the same shape?
He could have even brought the ineffective Sebastien Haller off instead of the 29-year-old. It wasn’t as if the former Nottingham Forest man was tiring. In fact he didn’t look fatigued at all.
Masuaku has been awful for the Hammers this season. The 26-year-old is constantly found wanting defensively, and in truth, he just seems like a disaster waiting to happen when he takes to the pitch.
And not only did the former Olympiacos man’s misplaced pass lead to Brighton’s second goal, but he just looked like a bag of nerves, and the Seagulls continually targeted West Ham’s left-hand side because of that.
The visitors’ equaliser came from a cross from that same side, and in truth, they should really have gone on to win the game.
Moyes must take the blame for this. It is little wonder why he was out of football management for so long.
And yesterday’s baffling decision might just end up costing the Hammers their Premier League status.
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