Last Feelings & Sleeping with the Fishes! Published 23/03/18 on Irons United

The West Ham fandom could be setting itself up for a big fall and the remaining fixtures could be the worst kind of tear jerker…if both fans, management and players do not set aside the whole raft of woes and issues…and simply focus on the job in hand to ensure Premiership survival.

“The degree of freedom from unwanted thoughts and the degree of concentration on a single thought are the measures to gauge spiritual progress.” – Ramana Maharshi

It would be an easy mistake to think that all players are robotic in nature and are not influenced by off field miseries. In fact they have repeatedly stated that indeed they are, however some things, some problems and some injustices are far more worthy of attention. Regardless of what rectifications may be in the planning, irrespective of the new found purpose to be sympathetic and apologetic…the owners are little more than passengers on a milk float that is hurtling downhill and out of control…even if only still at 5mph.

The fate of West Ham United…as a club and for the supporting masses who stretch across the globe is now solely in the hands and minds of Moyes and the players. The fans may urge on as they might, they could ridicule and bemoan but this would serve little purpose. The owners could defend, deflect and make solid promises but this would not change one iota either. So what can we, collectively do to make a difference and give the team and club the best possible chance to meet every game head on and fight for those desperate points.

The players would have had three weeks away from competitive league football, whereas Southampton would be buoyant after an FA Cup win under the guidance of their new manager; Mark Hughes. This match will be tough…be under no illusions here! Moyes will have to come up with something that will take the game to Southampton and in which the players can dominate possession too.

Many would look to the existing players and believe that their paper value should determine a positive result for the Hammers but that amount of aspiration should be tempered with realism. Most of the players have underperformed for most of the season…some have been ridiculously poor but somehow have managed to retain their places in the starting line ups.

Unfortunately the wheels have well and truly come off of our team bus and it would appear that our weaknesses are exposed and other teams are ready to fully exploit them. The team is littered with players who have failed on many different levels, have been played out of position, have not been fit or whom are too lethargic for the task at hand…or simply have not been selected when really the situation was screaming for them to be so.

Moyes has persisted with a formation that simply isn’t working anymore and a dramatic change in tactics is required. This change needs to accommodate the talents of the existing players and those whom are blessed as well as those whom are suffering in the exchanges. He needs to play the best players in their favoured positions…or as near as possible and swap out the underachievers for those anxiously waiting in the wings.

Many questioned why Jordan Hugill was bought at the end of the January transfer window and is he really good enough? However, the money has been spent so why not use him in a ‘back to basics’ style of football that just might be more effective than trying to chase down a ‘West Ham Way’ style that all of the players either do not know or whom have long forgotten?

It would be unfair to denigrate Hugill as he hasn’t had the opportunity to prove his worth and also he hasn’t been paired up with another striker to offer an alternative to our current set up. Any good team is not necessarily made up of the best players in the squad…it is made up of the best players that fit into the system the manager wants to play depending on injuries of course.

Moyes has an opportunity to change his formations and to offer up a solid defence and midfield but enough quality on both flanks to put in decent crosses for the strikers to latch onto! Simplicity is the key to unlocking our performance woes but the team have to play to their strengths and not their weaknesses. Any opponent will expect West Ham to set up with three at the back with two old chaps playing as wing backs…but this is a young man’s game…and our players are not that young anymore.

Two other players that could prove to be decent additions to the starting line up would be Declan Rice and Josh Cullen who could team up as they have in their Ireland colours to offer purpose and passion to our midfield whilst Hugill offers a bit more strength at the top to link in with Hernandez who would appear to be the obvious choice if goals are desired.

Whilst this is not necessarily the time to be experimenting with the youth, it is also not the time to be persisting with formations and players that are either not working or are underperforming. The club and the fans need a change…and only Moyes can deliver that, if only he can show the ambition to do so in the remaining games and especially against the teams in and around similar positions.

There could renewed purpose after this three week break from competitive football. There could be rejuvenated desire to apply themselves without hesitation, play carefree and with a champions’ confidence, however the players must visualise the win and the performance and Moyes must have clear determination to set up his team to go on the offensive. The times for sitting back are at an end. West Ham have been bullied for too long…now it is time for the bully to take his medicine. Moyes has to be brave now, make the changes, play the best players for each game and each system…otherwise we could all be crying over the last feelings and sleeping with the fishes next year in the Championship.