Every word David Moyes said as West Ham march into the last 16 of Europe again with a 2-0 win over German side Freiburg.
West Ham are through to the last 16 of the Europa League again after topping Group A with a comfortable win over Freiburg.
The Hammers only needed a draw at home against the Germans, who looked well off the pace all night.
Much of that was down to West Ham, though, who did a real job on the visitors by taking the game to them in a change of approach from David Moyes.
But what did the Scot make of the performance and West Ham’s achievement?
Every word from Moyes as West Ham march into last 16
Here’s every word Moyes said as West Ham march into the last 16 of Europe again with Freiburg win.
“Thrilled, thought we played well for long periods, got a couple of goals up in the first half and then missed a couple of really good chances which maybe could have wrapped it up and just kept us hanging on a little bit,” Moyes said on TNT Sports after the game.
“Because we didn’t want to just drop off it and I knew that the game would change as they came into it a bit more and we were more trying to see it out than anything in the second half. But we done a really good job.
“A lot more like it, we’ve done very well in Europe over the last few years and this season as well. It was a good win against a good German side. It’s never easy against German teams.
“I thought we played better tonight than we did in Freiburg and I thought we did well in Freiburg as well. I think really we lost to Olympiacos and it’s the only loss we’ve had in, I think, the last 19, 20-odd games now. It’s a great record for us, because we’re not a sort of well known European club at the moment or have been for a long time. It’s been great for us.
“I thought overall tonight and in the group we deserved it and thankfully we’re at the top. Look he’s (Alvarez) had a bit of illness and he’s just not quite on it fitness wise so we were always going to take him off. But he also got a dead leg tonight so we’re going to need to see how that is. We were going to take him off at half-time but he wanted to give it a go. He scored a good goal, him and Jarrod combing and he got a good finish.
“I think it’s started well, the longer we be together it will work much better (as a team). I mean we’re still introducing Eddy, Mo, Dinos and players who are still new to playing in the league and playing with us. I think they’ve all made a really good contribution.
“Let me tell you it is really massive at the moment (having that extra break in February). Because the amount of games we’ve got – for the players, the staff, everybody – we’re all going into a really busy period, which we know our culture means that we play a lot of games around Christmas. But it seems as if they’re squeezing in other games which seems a bit ridiculous to be honest.”
On me Edson and super Mo stole the show
In a good all-round team performance there was no doubting who stole the show at the London Stadium – Mohammed Kudus.
Sensational from the first minute to the last, the Ghana international combined with his old Ajax teammate Edson Alvarez, springing the Freiburg offside trap to open the scoring.
Alvarez then turned from provider to scorer as he played a beautiful one-two with Jarrod Bowen before advancing into the box and thumping home.
West Ham had a point to prove tonight after the 5-0 drubbing at Fulham.
And they did it in style with Moyes finding the answer to his West Ham boredom problem.
The Hammers pressed high up the pitch and passed the ball much more quickly and sharply.
West Ham player ratings vs Freiburg
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