Joe Cole says a post match comment from David Moyes was ‘loaded’ towards West Ham fans after the draw with Gent.
West Ham threw away a 1-0 lead against Belgian side Gent to draw 1-1 in the first leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final.
If David Moyes was looking for an improved performance from his side after unconvincing wins over Fulham and Southampton either side of a 5-1 home defeat to Newcastle last week, he didn’t get it.
After a decent opening few moments, the Hammers were poor throughout in Belgium and did not deserve to win the game.
‘Only real positive is Hammers did not lose’
The only real positive is that West Ham did not lose and now have home advantage for the second leg at the London Stadium next Thursday.
The game was played in a lively atmosphere at the 20,000 capacity Ghelamco Arena.
And Moyes made a point of mentioning that fact in his post-match interview on BT Sport while also bringing up the atmosphere West Ham fans generated last season.
Former West Ham star Joe Cole was covering the game for the channel believes that was very much by design.
Cole says a post match comment from Moyes was ‘loaded’ towards West Ham fans after the draw with Gent.
Joe Cole says post match comment from David Moyes was ‘loaded’ towards West Ham fans after draw with Gent
“Well we came away from (the first leg in) Seville as well (as going to Lyon with the score at 1-1 in last season’s Europa League) losing 1-0 and we came back and we had a great crowd behind us at the stadium and they helped us and we won through in extra-time,” Moyes said after the game.
“This will be a tough game next week, we’re up against a decent side and we’re going to have to play well.”
Cole believes those comments at the end of Moyes’ interview were aimed at Hammers fans regarding the atmosphere at the London Stadium.
Cole’s belief that the Scot’s comment was aimed at West Ham fans comes amid an increasingly strained relationship between the two parties with a ‘Moyes Out’ banner raised in the away end at Fulham and supporters jeering the manager, who stared them down as he left the pitch.
‘West Ham fans might be fretting’
“That (comment) was loaded you know, talking about the crowd getting behind them,” Cole said.
“West Ham will need the crowd, but the best thing is the players know now they’re in a proper game. He actually looked remarkably calm (compared to) the images we see of him on the side of the pitch…
“If West Ham turn up with the right mindset next week then they win the game and they win the game comfortably. But if they don’t then it could go wrong. So West Ham fans might be fretting at home thinking (about it). (But the positive is) they (Gent) drew with the worst possible West Ham side. West Ham will be much better next week and we should have an eventful night.”
West Ham welcome Gent to the London Stadium next Thursday night in an 8pm kick-off.
If the game ends all square it will go to extra-time and penalties since the abolishment of the away goals rule last season.
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