David Moyes has defended himself after a West Ham whistleblower’s set piece claims but uses a very strange example indeed.
David Moyes has a big target on his back right now as West Ham try to navigate their way out of the Premier League’s relegation zone.
Moyes has come under fire from fed up West Ham fans for some time against the backdrop of just six wins in 26 games this season – and only 15 of their last 53 going back to last term too.
This week a list of shocking claims emerged from an alleged first team whistleblower at West Ham stating the players and staff have had enough of Moyes.
It came after reports of unrest within the West Ham dressing room were also made recently by Guardian journalist Jacob Steinberg.
One of the most baffling allegations is that Moyes has taken Kevin Nolan and Paul Nevin off set pieces and claimed control of them himself this season. Not only that but the manager is said to have disliked the fact the team were getting a reputation of being a set piece side.
West Ham were the most dangerous team from set pieces over the last two seasons combined with 30 goals.
This term the Hammers have only scored four set-piece goals – the joint-second fewest in the top flight.
It begs the question why did the manager change things.
Thankfully Sky Sports asked Moyes just that in an interview ahead of the return to action this weekend.
And Moyes has defended himself after the West Ham whistleblower’s set piece claims but used a very strange example indeed.
“Maybe we don’t have Craig Dawson,” Moyes said when quizzed about West Ham’s set-piece woes.
“We didn’t have him at the start of the season, then we lost him (to Wolves) in the January window.
“Maybe we’ve not had Aaron Cresswell, who was one of our deliverers. It could be small, small things. It can be the delivery, it can be the people who head the ball.
“I always said when we were scoring lots of goals from set pieces you need people who want to put their head on the ball, want to go and attack the ball – that’s the way you score. Maybe we’ve just not quite got that, and that is what we’ve had in the past.”
Of course not all of the blame can be placed at Moyes’ door on this. At the end of the day the players are the ones who have to produce better delivery and be brave and get on the end of things.
But set pieces have become a fine art in the Premier League and need specialist attention.
Using Cresswell and Dawson as examples will jar with many Hammers fans. Because it has been Moyes’ choice for much of the campaign not to play Cresswell.
And even though Dawson was keen to leave the club for family reasons, the manager ultimately made the call to let him go. That situation was known to Moyes and the club from the summer. So he had plenty of time to sign a replacement with similar attributes between the summer and January – and indeed in the winter window itself.
Perhaps the manager needs to swallow his pride and put Nevin and Nolan back on set pieces as soon as possible – if he hasn’t already.
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