A rank awful West Ham defeat to Crystal Palace proves there is no future for David Moyes ball beyond this season.
Debate has raged about whether West Ham should part ways with David Moyes at the end of the season.
A large section of Hammers fans have been calling for the Scot’s head for a long time.
The recent revival and improved performance levels have left some supporters divided over the managerial situation.
But a return to the negative, risk averse approach saw West Ham have zero control against a side who have won just once at home in nine games and who they would have leapfrogged in the table with a win.
It has become a theme under Moyes for West Ham to have significantly less possession and usually half the passes of the opposition. Regardless of who the Hammers play that is the case more often than not.
Possession is nine tenths of the Premier League law
Don’t be fooled by the 4-3 scoreline. West Ham were comfortably second best in this match.
Palace passed West Ham off the park for the most part and the Hammers scored from three set-pieces.
The defensive, counter attack approach and lack of time on the ball piles the pressure on West Ham’s players every time they do get possession.
This rank awful West Ham defeat to Crystal Palace proves there is no future for Moyes ball beyond this season.
The Premier League has evolved into a league where almost every team looks to play a possession based, progressive style.
A team can only rely on set pieces, long throws and counter-attack for so long. Just ask Stoke and Burnley fans.
And ask Burnley fans what they prefer watching – Sean Dyche football or what they have witnessed under Vincent Kompany.
Rank awful West Ham defeat to Crystal Palace proves there is no future for David Moyes ball beyond this season
Moyes has proved this season – and admitted himself recently – that he has tried and failed to change West Ham’s style this season.
When West Ham got it back to 3-2, you would expect to see them be the team in the ascendency and pressing for an equaliser.
But instead they sat off and allowed Palace time and space to get passing patterns together and they inevitably got a fourth. It was another ridiculous call from VAR.
But you can’t make a case for West Ham in this game and try to blame VAR. You simply can’t ship three and four goals and expect to get anything out of a game.
Make no mistake this was a massive match for West Ham. But the performance was dreadful and all too familiar.
We are still right in the relegation mix. And if we conceded four goals to Palace just imagine what Man City might do to this meek defence.
West Ham’s players look visibly demoralised at times as they sit off and see teams constantly out-passing and out-playing them.
West Ham made just over 300 passes while Palace made nearly 500. And again West Ham’s possession was far less.
Hammers simply don’t have enough possession to be a serious threat in open play says bang on Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle got it spot on in commentary when he said West Ham simply don’t have enough possession to be a threat in open play.
Some may have been lulled into a false sense of security by the recent upturn.
On this evidence it has certainly been over-hyped.
If the goal difference takes a tonking this week then the heat will seriously be on.
There is no future for this style of football in the Premier League.
Fans will accept it when it is getting results.
But when you’re getting passed off the pitch by the likes of Palace – under Roy Hodgson – then there are serious issues.
Do we really want to be a side that looks to hang on in matches hoping to nick a goal here and there on the break or from a set-piece?
Even if we squeak to safety in the coming weeks, it looks increasingly clear changes must be made.
If the West Ham board don’t find a coach with a more progressive style the Hammers will be quickly left behind in this league.
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