David Moyes injury update tells us everything we need to know ahead of West Ham’s biggest game for 16 years.
The Hammers boss is renowned for keeping his cards very close to his chest on club matters.
Whether it is transfers, contracts or team news, Moyes is very much old school in his thinking of not giving the opposition or rival clubs even the slightest possible advantage.
So it was perhaps no surprise to hear the Scot’s typically no-nonsense responses when asked about West Ham’s injury doubts Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Aaron Cresswell ahead of what is the club’s biggest game for decades against Sevilla in the Europa League last 16 on Thursday night.
Speaking in his press conference after the game, Moyes issued a blunt reply to reporters when quizzed on West Ham’s injury situation.
“I don’t really know yet but if I did I would not tell you because I am not going to let Sevilla know any idea whether they’re going to be fit or not,” Moyes said matter of factly (Football.London).
And the Hammers boss gave a similar response when asked about the injuries by West Ham’s own media team.
“Well if I did (know about the injuries) I wouldn’t even say it anyway,” Moyes told West Ham TV looking ahead to Sevilla.
“Let’s keep Sevilla wondering and waiting to see what it’s like come Thursday night.”
Moyes’s methods are completely logical and understandable.
But unfortunately the Moyes injury update probably tells us everything we need to know ahead of West Ham’s biggest game for 16 years.
The fact the Scot is using mind games over selection suggests he certainly won’t have the likes of Bowen and Antonio available.
David Moyes injury update tells us everything we need to know ahead of West Ham’s biggest game for 16 years
Sevilla already know what to expect and how to play against us if Antonio and Cresswell do make the game.
So there will be no surprises there.
Bowen’s availability would be the potential game-changer. But it is clear from the various updates Moyes and Stuart Pearce have already delivered that he is not going to be available given West Ham’s medical team still aren’t even sure what is causing the issue.
Andriy Yarmolenko up front caused Aston Villa problems. And West Ham can only hope he does the same to Sevilla if he gets a start.
Moyes’s smoke and mirrors approach is an attempt to plant a seed of doubt in the mind of Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui.
But West Ham simply don’t have any genuine threats as alternatives so it doesn’t really work.
We can only hope that the midfield and possibly our big defenders Craig Dawson and Kurt Zouma can be the difference makers with a goal contribution or two when it matters most.
Make no mistake this is West Ham United’s biggest single football match since that famous 2006 FA Cup final against Liverpool.
West Ham were more than plucky losers that day as Steven Gerrard wrote his name in the history books with a Roy of the Rovers performance.
And now we need that kind of display from someone like Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek or Said Benrahma to win our mini European cup final at the London Stadium.