The new manager hunt (was the Moyes thread) only 3 days to wait...

Cuz1

Couldn’t lie straight in bed

alderz

I don't understand why they are the only realistic appointments? Why are we only capable of picking from that pool? Why is anyone? It feels like appointing any of these managers is just the easy option.

When Southampton appointed Pocchetino it was from nowhere. Nobody knew Marco Silva until Hull picked up him. There are plenty of managers from the lower leagues too that are doing good jobs - what about Chris Wilder?

I'm not saying Moyes wasn't the best option, maybe he was, but I just wish clubs wouldn't keep going back to the same old faces. You can bet your life Pulis will be back in the premier league before the spring.

Adam

alderz said:

You can bet your life Pulis will be back in the premier league before the spring.

Well, yes. He could come to us...

thornburyiron

The reason clubs pick from that pool is because of the position they’re in. In the summer clubs have high hopes and aim higher. At this juncture clubs like us have no hope so grab what they can.

baracks_a_hammer

Marco Silva went to Hull last year when they had no hope, and face them hope.

The problem is the daves scouting resources/abilities are poor. They are incapable of finding the unknown wildcard. They could pretty much get their shortlist by going to whu606.com

Vorselaarhammer

Baracks - that's the same for everyone. Silva did ok but Hull were relegated.

Pardew to WBA, BFS to Everton, Moyes to WH.

The cost of relegation is so high Clubs will not make firefighting appointment with unknown quantity.

baracks_a_hammer

Vorse

There’s no comparison between the quality of players silva had at Hull to what Moyes has with us

thornburyiron

Barack from what I’ve seen so far this season there’s every comparison between Hull and us.

NEoldiron

The problem is he's got the same bunch of "players" who still run around like headless chicken (my apologies to headless chickens) except now they're fitter headless chickens who can run a little faster and a little longer. ;biggrin

MrsGrey

We've always had a poor midfield.

Why do you think we have had a ;poormf smiley since the site started?

Vorselaarhammer

Barracks I was responding to you point on the Dave's having limited scouting etc as a reason why they pick Moyes.

I think all clubs look for a known quantity for firefighting.

The reason BFS is getting 6m from Everton. The red adair of relegation....

secrethammersfan

I honestly think that players don’t think they have to try when they come to West Ham. Do a bit of a jog, pass the ball in the general direction, it’ll be alright. We seem to have hit a critical mass of players who couldn’t be bothered. I have no idea what will rise them out of their apathy. Possibly lock them in a room with a bottle of whiskey and boxing gloves for a week. They need to Ctrl-Alt-Del themselves.

Edit: This is OT until I add this: Moyes needs to sort this out.

thornburyiron

Passing the ball in the general direction would be an improvement.

NEoldiron

Thorn, I'm reminded of the final scenes of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" every time I hear/read "in the general direction" ;biggrin

sweepy23

Anyone know what deal Moyes is on? I know it’s a 6 month deal with two more years as an option but how much is he getting paid?

A mate who has friends at the club claims he’s not taking a wage and will be paid a big lump if we stay in the league. Anyone else heard this?

imagelost

We don’t need to go down

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

10k a week is what has been "rumoured", with a hefty bonus if we stay up

imagelost

;hmm
Well done Dave Moyes sofar
I am getting turned
;bubbles

grey_til_I_dye

image

Fixed it for ya! ;ok

No space between ; and the keyword!

imagelost

Cheers grey til ;wink

Lukerz

After seeing what I saw at Everton, what we have produced in the last two games is something of a miracle and testament to Moyes and the staff. Hopefully more of the same for the rest of the month. ;ok

Adam

Lukerz said:

Hopefully more of the same for the rest of the month. ;ok

For the rest of the month? Let’s be more optimistic than that, shall we?

More like for the rest of the year.

Oh, wait...

imagelost

Happy new year adam ;biggrin

claretandbluesky

I am quietly optimistic if truth be told but not convinced, Leicester was a game in which we played well in one half and poorly in one half, Everton was the worst we have played all year, City we defended well to keep it reasonable and nearly nicked something, Chelsea was a fantastic performance. So for me I am getting more optimistic but know we could just as easily lose by three at Arsenal and not perform at Stoke. We need take at least a point from both these games and hopefully three from Stoke, if we can do that then I reckon we can start to feel we can improve our position.

DM is getting his chance, no one wanted him but he came and he is getting his chance, he is a man of character and so the challenge should spur him on as he must have been wounded by where his career had gone, let's hope that works in our favour. If it does we could be perfect for each other at this moment.

Lukerz

What I’ve found particularly interesting already is how Moyes has added value to the side and how it’s evolved over his first five games. What has he done which we can confidently say is different to what Bilic would’ve done?

His team selection for Watford was:

Hart
Zabaleta - Reid - Ogbonna - Cresswell
Noble - Obiang - Kouyate
Arnautovic - Carroll - Lanzini

A very ‘Moyes’ XI on paper. Square pegs in square holes, a target man, three grafters in midfield, experience, 4-3-3/4-5-1 system etc.

Since then we’ve seen two major tweaks which I feel confident we wouldn’t have seen under Bilic. The first is the introduction of Masuaku as a winger (started 4 out of his 5 matches) and, despite IMO being a bit erratic, he’s clearly favoured by Moyes as he has stuck with him for all the games since Watford. Bilic played him occasionally, mainly as a LB or LWB, with the odd cameo further forward. Moyes has converted him to a wide midfielder. His directness and pace are big assets for us, given we lack both, and certainly have given us an outlet in recent weeks.

Secondly, the major tweak has been this recent switch of Cresswell, from a LB to a LCB in the back 3. Another tactical switch I don’t feel Bilic would’ve incorporated. What it has allowed is Reid to move across from CB position No.2 to No.1 (right sided) and Ogbonna (the main change) to move to be the central CB of the three (as opposed to the LCB). Whilst it might be a slightly irrelevant change to many (does it make that much difference), it actually has made Ogbonna look a lot better because it’s covered his major flaw; decision making when getting drawn out to a wide area. That little corridor between Cresswell at LB and Ogbonna at LCB in a back four has caused many issues which have often resulted in Ogbonna giving away penalties. He is now shielded by two other players, with the added security of the wingbacks. So this little tweak which has shifted Ogbonna along one place and converted Cresswell to a LCB has made us look very solid against two exceptional attacking lines.

The final obvious bit of added value has been Arnie, who I think we can all agree has had his best spell of performances since Moyes has taken over. Even his display at Watford was a marked improvement on what we saw under Bilic.

There is also the inclusion of Adrian, something which may not have happened under the previous regime, but has certainly coincided with an upturn in defensive performances too.

So the side has evolved since his first selection to:

Adrian
Reid - Ogbonna - Cresswell
Zabaleta - Noble - Obiang - Masuaku
Arnautovic - Lanzini
Antonio

The move of Cresswell to CB has been an inspired call. He’s not the first full-back to successfully convert to a CB in recent times in sides which play a back three/five. Azpilicueta of Chelsea, Monreal of Arsenal, Davies at Spurs. I think it gives the back three that added dimension when you can have a more aggressive and technically assured player playing as one of the three, otherwise you get into the trap of putting in three solid CB’s and you end up with loads of sideways passing and backpasses. That little Ogbonna/Cresswell-Noble/Obiang-Lanzini/Arnie group is linking a host of very competent ball players together to get us moving through the side, particularly in that central/left area of the pitch.

Then there’s the obvious improvement in our running stats and sprints, suggesting the fitness and intensity is coming along nicely now.

Really good things seen from the last couple of games in particular. It shows the manager can identify weaknesses and address them very quickly with different innovations but without adding any new players to the squad. Moyes can be proud of what he’s done already and lets hope it continues until May.

And just to add, I may have been a bit too hasty in jumping the gun with relegation. The Everton result and display really did hit me quite hard. But I think there have been positives in all four of his other games, and certainly more signs for optimism than there were a few weeks ago.

Cuz1

Lukerz excellent breakdown there agree with all of that post

imagelost

Lukerz ;cheers
The training, planing and tactics under the last regime was virtually nonexistent then.
Another well done to DM
Doctor Moyes ;ok

thornburyiron

Image that's exactly what a lot of us believed. Our training, fitness and tactical planning were very poor.
The warning signs were there even before Staam said that Oxford was shocked at the intensity of Readings training.

NEoldiron

Luke, very good analysis of the transformation under DM ;clap

thornburyiron

West Ham manager David Moyes has told Joe Hart that the club's Premier League survival is more important than the 30-year-old goalkeeper's international ambitions. (Daily Mirror)

That must have been an interesting conversation along the lines of "I can't play you and risk getting relegated so I'll play Adrian and we'll have a better chance of survival. In any case I'm Scottish and don't give a monkeys who plays for England"