David Moyes has just told a barefaced lie over West Ham team selection unless he’s suddenly woken up over Tomas Soucek.
West Ham go into another huge Premier League match against Newcastle United with a near fully fit squad.
It is a fine balancing act for managers when it comes to competition for places at a football club.
Get it right and it is the key to a successful team. But get it wrong and it can be very unhealthy indeed.
West Ham boss David Moyes has been making a point of talking up competition for places ahead of a bumper eight games in 24 days.
A win is a win at this stage of the season and points on the board is all that matters for West Ham.
But the performance in the narrow victory over Southampton has not swayed opinion on the manager.
Ask any West Ham fans to name the starting XI Moyes will select for upcoming games and they could probably do it without taking a breath.
The Scot’s team selection has become as predictable as his tactics over the last 15 months.
Certain players have been completely out of form for some time now in the claret and blue but continue to start week in, week out.
The prime example is midfielder Tomas Soucek, who has been a shadow of his former self for some time.
Supporters have long called for Moyes to take the big Czech star out of the side and give the likes of Flynn Downes or Pablo Fornals an extended run in the team.
Soucek never gives anything less than 100 per cent for the team.
And his drop off in form is not all of his own making, far from it. Moyes has admitted his tinkering with the dynamic of the team and Soucek’s selflessness in carrying out the the manager’s orders has been to blame.
But he struggled yet again in the game against the Saints was substituted midway through the second half. Fans believe nothing will change and other players will not get a fair chance in his place.
So Moyes has just told a barefaced lie over West Ham team selection unless he’s suddenly woken up over Soucek.
Because speaking in his pre-Newcastle press conference Moyes has tried to make out that he is ruthless when it comes to dropping players when they are not producing the goods for West Ham.
David Moyes has just told a barefaced lie over West Ham team selection unless he’s suddenly woken up over Tomas Soucek
“I’ve got decisions (to make) in quite a few positions, you know I really have,” Moyes said in his pre-match presser, which you can watch in full below.
“We’ve got competition for places. I’m hoping that the competition will add something to the players who start in the team. Get that jersey and you know we’ll give you it but you’re not going to keep hold of it too long if you’re not coming up with the goods.”
Perhaps Moyes needs to practice what he is preaching. And perhaps if he had been doing that all season then the competition for places really would have been healthy and help push the standards up in the team.
Let’s hope this is a case of the manager realising while there is still time to turn the season around and not just empty words.
Because if Moyes is going to back up these claims of a ruthless culture of high standards at West Ham the Soucek won’t be starting against Newcastle.
MORE WEST HAM NEWS
Cass Pennant column: West Ham’s situation, Moyes, the players and Hammers at the heart of my life story
Sacked Rodgers makes job plans crystal clear after West Ham links amid Moyes doubts.
Wolves boss ditches Benrahma’s rapid compatriot and he’s perfect for West Ham.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
