The utterly pathetic West Ham United approach at Liverpool was so undeserving of the loyal 6k travelling fans.
For West Ham fans tuning in on the TV the match at Liverpool was a waste of time.
So what about the 6,000 travelling Hammers army who went up to Liverpool on a Wednesday night, just days before Christmas knowing there are no trains home?
This was the quarter-final of a wide open Carabao Cup, but it looked more like a Liverpool training session so insipid and passive was West Ham’s performance.
Before the game the rumblings started – West Ham’s players complaining to manager David Moyes about fatigue.
The Hammers went to their most unhappy of hunting grounds that is Anfield with renewed hope after improved performances and approach from Moyes in wins over Freiburg and Wolves.
But the Scot waved the white flag before kick-off with a team selection which left West Ham fans livid.
Ben Johnson, Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals found themselves starting. And there was no surprise they were among the worst West Ham players on the pitch.
The utterly pathetic West Ham approach at Liverpool was so undeserving of the loyal 6k travelling fans.
Is it any wonder the same teams – like Liverpool – win the same trophies year in, year out?
Teams like West Ham get into this position with a chance to win a trophy and they take this approach.
Players may be feeling worn out. But does giving our key players an extra 45 minutes rest really make a difference at this stage of the season for goodness sake.
If anything they come on in the cold and are more likely to get injured.
West Ham fans wanted to see Moyes really go for it against Liverpool. The Hammers are not going to be anywhere close to being relegated, there’s no Europe to worry about for another three months.
And there’s a winter break coming up in a few weeks too.
Supporters wanted to see the team and manager give it everything.
Instead Moyes took an all too predictable approach despite seeing how much better West Ham are when they go for it on the front foot in the last two games.
It was 5-1 in the end but make no mistake that scoreline could have been double.
You have to feel for the loyal Hammers fans who made that long trip by car, or shelled out for overnight stays knowing there were no trains home.
This was embarrassing for West Ham. Moyes was praised to high heaven before the game. But even former West Ham boss Harry Redknapp remarked at half-time that the Scot had got the approach all wrong.
West Ham supporters are not being spoilt or unrealistic here.
With a terrible Chelsea, beatable Fulham and Championship Middlesbrough standing between them and Wembley, they would just rather have seen their side give it a go than drop out of the cup with a whimper.
Birthday boy Jarrod Bowen aside – as usual – this was a pathetic display totally undeserving of the club’s support.
Moyes said before the game he wants to make West Ham a cup team.
Well he had a funny way of showing it just when the competition had opened up for his side to give it a real go.
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