Aaron Cresswell has made a brutally honest admission about the West Ham identity which proves fans were right to be unhappy.
It is fair to say manager David Moyes and certain West Ham players have been under intense scrutiny from disgruntled fans this season.
An unexpected relegation battle will do that to the best of clubs and the Hammers are no different.
Moyes and his players have raised expectations to a high level as everyone involved in football strives to do.
Not meeting expectations is one thing, but falling so far below them – as West Ham have in the Premier League this term – is another matter entirely.
Things are most definitely on the up after the last week, though.
‘I told you so’ simply does not ring true – fans have been catalyst for change amid West Ham identity crisis
West Ham booked their place in a second consecutive European semi-final and took a big step towards survival with the draw against Arsenal and 4-0 win at Bournemouth.
Perhaps just as importantly however – it is the change in approach and performance levels that has West Ham fans beaming again.
Let’s have it right. Until the comeback against Arsenal, the majority of supporters had grown tired of Moyes’ approach, West Ham’s all too often passive style and what they see as risk averse tactics.
Evidence of what had become an increasingly strained relationship between the two parties came at Fulham with a ‘Moyes Out’ banner raised in the away end as supporters jeered the manager, who stared them down as he left the pitch.
Hammers fans have been banging the drum for well over a year for the team to get back to playing aggressively and on the front foot.
One of the biggest criticisms of Moyes and the players is that West Ham had completely lost their identity this season.
The penny dropped when West Ham sparked back into life and looked like their old selves in that Arsenal game.
Cresswell one of Moyes’ trusted players and he has stood up to be counted when it mattered most
Some fans and pundits have been quick to dish out ‘I told you so’ in light of recent results.
But that doesn’t mean fans were wrong to question Moyes, his methods or the players. Far from it.
If anything the supporters have been the catalyst for much-needed change.
One player who has found himself questioned and criticised this season is longserving vice-captain Aaron Cresswell.
The left-back had become key to Moyes ball with his set-piece delivery and crossing. But he has struggled to hold down a place in the team this season having looked vulnerable defensively in his advancing years.
Where he was once hailed as ‘magic’ some had started labelling him ‘tragic’. But he – like the team – has bounced back and has stood up when it has counted of late.
When Moyes said recently he is going back to playing the players he knows he can trust, Cresswell was definitely among that number.
Now Cresswell has made a brutally honest admission about West Ham identity which proves fans were right to be unhappy.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Cresswell conceded West Ham had lost their identity this season.
Aaron Cresswell makes brutally honest admission about West Ham identity which proves fans were right to be unhappy
He admits the team has struggled to gel with the new arrivals. But he is refusing to use that as an excuse.
And Cresswell believes West Ham have now turned a corner as they aim to round off the season by lifting a first major trophy for 43 years.
“Look we’ve lost some of our kind of identity in terms of what we’ve done over the last two years,” straight-talking Cresswell said.
“We’ve had some good performances and obviously some bad performances which is why we are where we are this season.
“But look it was a big transition in the summer. A lot of new players, it was always going to be tough. But no excuses on our part in that department – six or seven games to go now and we’ve got to take maximum points and try and finish as high up that table as we can…
“And we want to try and reach that final and try and lift that trophy, that’s the ultimate.”
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